Measles Outbreak in Southwestern Utah and Arizona

Currently, one of the most significant measles outbreaks in the United States is centered around the southwestern Utah and Arizona border.

In southwestern Utah, there have been 23 confirmed cases among school-age children who haven’t received vaccinations. In nearby Mojave County, Arizona, health officials believe the outbreak is linked to these cases, reporting 42 infections.

An investigation by NBC News, in collaboration with Stanford University, revealed that many communities in the U.S. lack adequate vaccine coverage to combat infectious diseases like measles effectively.

In Washington County, Utah, about 79% of kindergarteners are vaccinated against measles, which is slightly better than the rates in Gaines County, Texas—the center of an earlier outbreak this year. However, this figure falls well short of the 95% herd immunity threshold recommended by experts.

David Heaton, a spokesperson for the Southwest Utah Department of Public Health, noted, “In my 18 years here, I’ve never seen a measles case until now.” He emphasized that low vaccination rates leave communities vulnerable to outbreaks.

Heaton explained that while many people had been open to vaccinations prior to the pandemic, the Covid situation seemed to have increased vaccine hesitancy.

“About a month ago, we started seeing evidence of community spread in five county districts,” he added.

Health officials report that cases are steadily increasing, with expectations for more infections. Utah confirmed 42 cases on August 12, with one child requiring hospitalization.

Arizona health officials stated they are coordinating with their Utah counterparts to tackle the outbreak. “This is the most significant occurrence I’ve witnessed since the 1990s,” one official remarked.

The outbreak in Arizona is primarily focused on Colorado City and nearby areas, which are somewhat isolated due to the Grand Canyon. These rural regions have a history of being cut off from the rest of the state, rooted in communities established under fundamentalist Mormon leader Warren Jeffs.

“This isn’t surprising when a highly contagious, vaccine-preventable disease makes its way into communities with low vaccination rates,” noted an expert.

As of the 2024-25 school year, no kindergarten in Mojave County has sufficient herd immunity against measles.

The MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccination rate at Cottonwood Elementary School was alarmingly low at just 7.7%, and 84.6% had vaccination exemptions. Nearby Masada Charter School recorded a 40% MMR rate among kindergarteners.

Over the past decade, Arizona has seen a drop of about half in its vaccination rates. Experts warn that what’s occurring in these isolated communities could potentially spread to others with declining vaccination levels.

Vaccination rates are in decline across the nation. Since 2019, 77% of U.S. counties reported significant drops in childhood vaccination rates. Among states providing MMR data, 67% had rates below the critical 95% threshold.

As MMR vaccination numbers continue to decrease, the U.S. is experiencing its highest incidence of measles in over 30 years, with health officials reporting 1,491 cases and 38 outbreaks by mid-September, compared to just 16 outbreaks last year.

Officials from both Arizona and Utah are urging parents to ensure their children receive their measles vaccinations.