Utah health officials weigh public disclosure of measles exposure sites

Utah health officials said they do not automatically publish the names of businesses where a measles-infected person may have been present. The decision is made case-by-case, with priority given to directly notifying people who can be identified, such as employees at a workplace or attendees of a private event. When exposure occurs in public venues like grocery stores or restaurants, where many visitors cannot be individually traced, the health department is more likely to issue a public alert that includes the location's name.

"If we deemed that there was a risk to the public and a business needed to be publicly identified, we would do it regardless if the business wanted us to or not," said Melanie Crossland, an epidemiologist with the Salt Lake County Health Department.

Leisha Nolen, the state epidemiologist, noted that Utah’s 13 local health districts follow the same overall approach, though procedural details may vary. The strategy aims to avoid “blindsiding” businesses while protecting public health.

The measles outbreak in Utah has approached 700 cases, a sharp increase from the typical one case every five years. Officials attribute the surge to declining vaccination rates after the COVID-19 pandemic and have shifted focus toward mitigation, public education, and vaccination campaigns. While new cases have declined in recent weeks, health officials warn that sporadic infections may become the new normal.

No deaths have been reported in Utah, but officials expressed concern that continued transmission could eventually lead to fatalities, especially among vulnerable groups such as infants and pregnant women. Pediatric infectious-disease specialist Andrew Pavia highlighted recent cases involving infants and a newborn with congenital measles, underscoring the importance of maintaining high vaccine coverage.