Summit County hasn’t had any new measles cases since April, but local health officials are still preparing to tackle a potential outbreak as students return to school later this month. Epidemiologist Nancy Porter said the United States has reported 2,370 measles cases in 2026 as of Monday afte rnoon. Utah has the second highest number of cases with 524 so far this year, trailing South Carolina’s 670. “We have surpassed all 2025 case counts, and we’re only halfway through the year,” Porter said. “We’ll see how this continues to go, but we have been keeping an eye on it all summer.” Porter said measles cases have been declining over the summer, with fewer than five cases reported each week. However, she warned the disease may “ramp up” when students return to school in a few weeks. Nursing Director Derek Moss said the Health Department is already in touch with the area’s three school districts to coordinate plans in case of an outbreak. “The blueprint that we’ve established with those superintendents within the school districts remains in place, and we’re ready to utilize that,” Moss said. “Uptake on the MMR vaccine remains fairly constant. We haven’t really seen an increase or a decrease that’s significant over time.” Health Director Phil Bondurant emphasized the department’s commitment to public health, saying the organization will never prevent a family from acquiring the vaccine for financial reasons. The Health Department expects to hold multiple vaccine clinics at local schools before classes start, allowing students to obtain their required immunizations in addition to the MMR vaccine. “If there are individuals who want to be vaccinated and it seems as though the cost of the vaccine is the greatest barrier, that should never be a hesitation among families who want to be vaccinated,” Bondurant said. “Folks can show up. We’ll figure out a way to get them vaccinated and taken care of. … We’re concerned about protecting individuals who want to be protected more than the financial aspect.” The MMR vaccine is 97% effective in preventing or reducing measles, mumps and rubella symptoms if an individual receives two doses. Approximately 92% of students in Summit County are vaccinated, which is the easiest method of estimating overall vaccination rates in the community. However, herd immunity for measles requires a vaccination rate of 95%. “There are rare cases where somebody who is vaccinated gets it, but it’s almost always not as severe and shorter-lived,” Moss said in a previous interview with The Park Record. “These vaccines really work, and that’s the reason they’re so important. If you put a bunch of kids into a combined space with an airborne, transmitted disease, there’s a lot of risk there.” The Health Department is also coordinating with the state to test wastewater, similar to checks done throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, to determine infection levels and the severity of the viral spread. Unlike the coronavirus, though, wastewater testing for measles only tells health officials where in the community measles is present, not how many people are affected. Information on measles is available on summitcountyhealth.org or by calling the Health Department at 801-442-2610. The post No new measles cases reported in Summit County, but officials prepare for outbreak as kids return to school appeared first on Park Record. ...read more read less