Another child has measles in South Florida. Here’s a breakdown of the cases so far
Miami Herald | By Michelle Marchante | February 27, 2024
More people are getting measles in Florida, with a seventh case confirmed at a Weston elementary school and the state also reporting another child under 5 who has been diagnosed with the disease in Broward County.
Broward County Public Schools Superintendent Peter Licata on Tuesday morning announced the seventh measles case at Manatee Bay Elementary School, a K-5 school at 19200 Manatee Isles Dr. in Weston.
“The individual impacted by this latest case has not physically been on campus since Feb. 15, therefore the infectious period of 21 days remains unchanged: March 7,” Licata said.
As of Tuesday morning, there are 10 confirmed cases of measles in Florida, nine of which are in Broward County, according to preliminary data from Florida’s web-based reportable disease surveillance system.
Seven of the Broward cases are students who attend Manatee Bay Elementary in Weston. The other two Broward cases are children listed as being 0-4 years old, according to the state’s portal. In Florida, a child needs to be at least 5 to be in kindergarten.
Licata said the Broward school district has not confirmed any additional cases. The Miami Herald has contacted the Florida Department of Health to ask about whether the infected children who are younger then 5 attend daycare or pre-k.
Measles is a contagious disease that can spread rapidly by coughing, sneezing and touching contaminated objects and then touching your mouth. While it’s rare for those who are vaccinated to get infected, up to 90% of people who aren’t vaccinated will get measles if exposed to someone with the disease, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, or MMR vaccine, is about 93% or 97% effective, depending on whether you get one or two shots of the vaccine, according to the CDC. The public health agency says kids should get the first dose at 12 through 15 months of age and the second dose at 4 to 6 years of age.
As of Tuesday, here’s a breakdown of Florida’s measles cases:
MEASLES CASES IN FLORIDA
▪ There are 10 confirmed cases of measles in Florida.
▪ Nine of the confirmed cases are in Broward County and one is in Polk County, in Central Florida. Cases are classified based on the county where the person lives and does not necessarily mean that the person got sick in the county.
▪ All of the confirmed cases in Broward County are children. The Polk County case is an adult age 20-24.
▪ All of the Broward cases are listed in the state system as being “acquired in Florida,” though this information is preliminary and may change as the state conducts its epidemiological investigation. State health officials still don’t know whether the adult in Polk County acquired the disease in Florida or elsewhere.
MEASLES CASES IN BROWARD COUNTY
▪ There are nine confirmed measles cases in Broward County. Seven of the reported cases are linked to an outbreak at Manatee Bay Elementary School in Weston.
▪ All of the reported cases are children. Here’s an age breakdown:
– 2 kids are listed as newborn to 4
– 4 kids are listed as 5 to 9
– 3 kids are listed as 10 to 14
