SALT LAKE CITY — The first measles case in Utah in six years is being reported in Salt Lake County.
The Salt Lake Valley Health Department says Thursday there is no sign of an outbreak but officials are wary because the disease is very contagious.
Medical director Dr. Vagmar Ditek says measles can be prevented by vaccines, but fewer children are receiving the vaccinations.
The victim is a student at Olympus High School in a Salt Lake City suburb. A letter was sent to parents and posted on the school's website.
Measles causes fever, runny nose, coughing and a rash. The virus is spread through the air and by contact with bodily fluids.
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The virus annually kills nearly 200,000 people worldwide, but was considered eliminated in the United States more than 10 years ago.
