Measles cases are popping up across the country. How many are in Florida?
Measles outbreaks are continuing to emerge across the country, including in Florida where reported cases amount to 20% of the total this year, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
So far, the U.S. has recorded 41 measles cases within the first two months of 2024, already nearing last year’s total count of 58 cases, according to Friday’s CDC update. Ten of the cases were reported in Florida in February.
Here’s what to know:
How many measles cases are there in Florida?
▪ Florida has 10 confirmed cases of measles. Nine of the infected people are children who live in Broward County and the other is an adult age 20 to 24 who lives in Polk County in Central Florida.
▪ Seven of the children are students at Manatee Bay Elementary in Weston.
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What other states have reported measles outbreaks this year?
Other states that have reported cases of measles this year, according to the CDC, include Arizona, California, Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York City, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Washington state.
The CDC told the Miami Herald in an email that “because of the small total number of cases,” it “wouldn’t say how many cases were in each state “to avoid the possibility of revealing personally identifiable information.”
However, some state health departments have released information about cases. California has recorded two cases of measles so far. Philadelphia recorded nine cases of measles in its most recent outbreak, which health officials declared over earlier this week.
In 2023, the country recorded 58 measles cases across 20 states, including in Florida, which confirmed two measles cases in September, one in Miami-Dade and another in Seminole County.
READ MORE: Should you worry about measles in South Florida? What to know as school cases found
How to reduce measles spread
▪ Measles is a highly contagious disease that can spread by coughing, sneezing or touching contaminated objects and then touching your mouth and nose. For those who are vaccinated, infection is rare. There’s a 90% chance those who are not vaccinated will get infected if exposed to the disease, the CDC says.
▪ While the disease was eliminated in the U.S. in 2000 through an effective vaccination program, the country still sometimes see measles outbreaks. The CDC says these outbreaks are usually linked to an unvaccinated traveler who gets infected in another country, comes into the U.S. and then spreads it to other people who are not vaccinated.
▪ Public health experts say the best way to reduce the spread of measles is to get vaccinated. One dose of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, or MMR, is about 93% effective, with two doses about 97% effective, according to the CDC.
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