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Wyoming reports 3 measles cases in a month

News Letter Journal - Staff Photo -
By
Via the Wyoming News Exchange

JACKSON (WNE) — A month ago, Wyoming had not detected a measles case for fifteen years. Now, in July alone, the state has confirmed three cases in three counties.

The most recent case, in an unvaccinated adult in Carbon County, was reported on July 22. Prior to that, two unvaccinated children were found to have contracted the virus in Natrona County and Niobrara County.

All three people who contracted the virus have recovered and did not need to be hospitalized, according to Clay Van Houten, state epidemiologist at the Wyoming Department of Health..

The state determined that the adult was exposed outside the United States. It did not identify a likely source of infection for the two children.

Measles is incredibly contagious, which could make identifying a source of infection challenging.

“It can stay in the air and be infectious for up to two hours,” Van Houten said. “You could have some kind of unknown exposure to somebody in a community where, you walk through an area, or just talk to somebody even friendly at a place in public, and be exposed.”

Vaccination against measles is a key prevention, Van Houten said, adding that members of the public should make sure that kids are up to date on their shots. Adults also should talk to their health care provider to check if they were vaccinated as a child, and consider receiving the jab if not.

Widespread vaccination helps protect immunocompromised people, pregnant women and infants who are not able to receive the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine. 

“They’re the ones that are more likely to get incredibly poor outcomes with measles,” Van Houten said. “Part of what we’re trying to do is just protect those that can’t get vaccinated or have immune systems that are compromised.”

 

This story was published on July 30, 2025. 

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