(DailyDig.com) – An outbreak of measles in Florida began at an elementary school in Weston, FL. Six children were diagnosed, as announced by the Broward County, Florida, Department of Health. On February 16, they stated that a child was diagnosed who had no history of any travel outside the state.
Health officials diagnosed three more children on February 17, and one case each on February 19 and February 20. The age range of children with measles is between 4 and 14 years, per the Department of Health.
The health department of the county issued a statement on February 25 that they are working with local hospitals and schools to identify any people who may have been in contact with children who may be at risk of further transmission of the disease.
There are currently nine cases as of February 25, according to the Department of Health of Florida. Eight of the cases are in Broward County, and one of the cases is in Polk County (this case is related to travel).
According to Joseph Ladapo, the Surgeon General of Florida, parents should be able to decide if their children attend school or not. He stated that the community has a high rate of immunity, as the rate of vaccinated children is about 91%. He said healthy children staying home could be a burden for families.
Medical professionals and federal agencies disagree with Ladapo’s statement. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have recommended that any unvaccinated children that may have been exposed to the disease be in isolation for at least three weeks.
The outbreak in Florida came after a report by the CDC that, since February 23, fifteen states have reported at least 35 cases of measles, mostly related to travel out of the country.
In January, the CDC alerted physicians that the US had reported almost 24 cases of preventable diseases since last December. The physicians were told to watch for patients who present with rashes and fevers, especially if they have traveled outside the country recently.
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