Florida Reports Third Measles Case Amid National Outbreak

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – A third case of measles has been reported in Leon County, according to the Florida Department of Health. The latest infection involves a young adult who was exposed during travel outside the country in June.

This case is part of an ongoing nationwide outbreak, with 1,267 confirmed measles cases reported across the United States so far this year, as per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The disease is highly contagious, spreading easily through the air when an infected person breathes, coughs, or sneezes. The Florida Department of Health noted that a previous measles case was reported in June, involving a person between the ages of 15 and 19 but the location of infection remains unclear.

Florida’s first two cases this year were confirmed in Miami-Dade and Broward counties. This year’s numbers are approaching the highest totals since measles was eliminated in the U.S. in 2000. The CDC reported that the number of measles infections in 2023 is just eight shy of surpassing the total cases from 2019, when outbreaks surged.

Health officials caution that outbreaks can thrive in areas with low vaccination rates. In the Americas, there has also been a dramatic increase, with Canada reporting over 3,000 cases and Mexico more than 2,500 cases this year. The Pan American Health Organization indicated that the rising cases are concentrated in vaccine-hesitant communities.

As infections spike, state health officials are urging residents to ensure they are up to date on the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine, which is safe and effective at preventing measles.