The Florida Department of Health is investigating eight cases of measles due to an outbreak of the highly contagious disease in a school in Broward County. Six of the previously known cases are in students from Manatee Bay Elementary School, in the town of Weston, near Fort Lauderdale. New data from the state shows two more cases this week in Broward County, one case in a child under five and another in a child between five and nine-years-old.Â
[Related: Some vaccinated adults may not be protected against measles.]
The United States officially got rid of endemic measles in 2000. However, the illness has begun to circulate in the US and around the world due to widespread misinformation and challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic.Â
These new cases come just a few days after Florida Surgeon General Doctor Joseph Ladapo contradicted both medical and federal guidance on when students can return to school and how to contain the spread of this preventable disease.Â
What is measles?
Measles is a highly contagious respiratory disease. It is estimated that 90 percent of non-immune people exposed to an infected individual will contract the virus. Symptoms may include, cough, runny nose, watery eyes, fever, and red spots that look like a rash. It is spread through coughs and sneezes and can linger in a room for up to two hours.Â
In some rare cases, measles may lead to pneumonia, encephalitis, or death. It can also weaken a patient’s immune system, making fighting future illnesses more difficult.Â
How do I know if I’ve been vaccinated?
There is no one national organization that maintains vaccination records in the US. According to the CDC, a good first step is to ask parents or guardians for copies of vaccination records. These are sometimes kept in baby books, photo albums, or filing cabinets since most vaccinations are given during early childhood.Â
[Related: What to know about polio boosters, oral vaccines, and your medical…
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