We thought measles were going away in Florida, but now there’s a new case

Measles, a highly contagious virus that was declared eliminated from the United States in 2000, is making a comeback in the country. The disease, which spreads through coughing and sneezing, has now tallied more cases this year than were reported in all of 2023. In newly published data, the CDC's year-to-date count now stands at 64 cases of measles, surpassing the 2023 total case count of 58.

The situation has raised concerns among health officials and the public, who fear the spread of the disease and its potential consequences.

The number of cases of highly contagious measles in Florida since 2024 is now at 11, state health officials have reported.

The 11 cases are in three counties —nine in Broward in South Florida, one in Polk in Central Florida, and the newest one in Martin, on the southeastern part of the state, on the Atlantic side.

Cases of measles started appearing the second week of February, when an outbreak occurred at Broward County’s Manatee Bay Elementary School in Weston, just west of Fort Lauderdale. Since then, the school's infection period of 21 days has ended.

Data from the state’s Reportable Diseases Frequency Report show that the age groups of the Broward cases were children and teens: two cases were from 0 to 4; four cases were ages 5 to 9, and three cases were ages 10 to 15.

The Polk case was in the age group of 20 to 24. The newest case reported in Martin County was between the ages of 55 and 59.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, symptoms of measles include: high fever, Cough, Runny nose, Red, watery eyes, and a Rash that appears 3-5 days after symptoms begin.