A child under 5 in South Florida is ill with measles. What to know about youngest case
A South Florida child who is 4 or possibly younger has fallen ill with measles, just days after a cluster of cases were reported at a Broward elementary school, state data shows.
The child, who is listed as newborn to 4, is the youngest reported measles case so far in this latest outbreak and is Broward’s seventh confirmed case this month, according to preliminary data from Florida’s web-based reportable disease surveillance system.
The other six children infected with measles are between the ages of 5 and 14 and are students at Manatee Bay Elementary School, a K-5 school at 19200 Manatee Isles Dr. in Weston. In Florida, a child needs to be at least 5 to be in kindergarten.
Broward County Public Schools on Friday morning told the Miami Herald that there were no new confirmed measles cases at its schools, leaving the count at six.
What to know about measles
Measles is a highly contagious disease that can spread through coughing, sneezing and by touching infected surfaces. While it was eliminated in the U.S. in 2000 following an effective vaccination program, outbreaks still occur, usually among those who are not vaccinated. For those who are vaccinated, it’s rare to fall ill — one dose of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, or MMR is about 93% effective and two doses is about 97% effective, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The CDC recommends kids get the first vaccine dose at 12 through 15 months of age and the second dose at 4 to 6 years of age. While the vaccine is mandatory to attend all public and private childcare and K-12 schools in Florida, some students have medical or religious exemptions. At the Weston elementary school, 3 percent of its students are not vaccinated.
READ MORE: Should you worry about measles in South Florida? What to know as school cases found
Broward school district officials and the state health department have not said if the six students at the Weston school were vaccinated for measles or if any had recently traveled.
As for the child who is 4 or younger, no other details were immediately available, including the child’s vaccination status and if the child attends a preschool or daycare center. The Miami Herald has contacted the Florida Department of Health.
All seven measles 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. Cases are classified based on the county where the person lives and does not necessarily mean that the person fell ill in the county.
What to do if exposed to measles
While it’s rare for those who are vaccinated to fall ill with measles, you should still notify your doctor and monitor for symptoms.
If you’re not vaccinated and have never previously had measles, health experts say you should contact your doctor — do not show up to their office, call first — for guidance, which may include getting the MMR vaccine.
If you get the vaccine within 72 hours after initial exposure, it could provide some protection against the disease or help you have a milder illness, the CDC says. Your doctor might also opt to give you a medicine called immunoglobulin within six days of exposure to reduce your risk of severe illness.
READ MORE: Measles cases resurface. How many are protected? What’s the vaccination rate in Florida?
This story was originally published February 23, 2024 at 1:42 PM.
