On a day when the Broward superintendent paid a visit to thank the staff and reassure parents, the number of confirmed cases of measles at Manatee Bay Elementary School rose to six. NBC6’s Ari Odzer reports
The number of confirmed measles cases at Manatee Bay Elementary has jumped to six since the first recent case was reported on Friday, officials said.
The Florida Department of Health in Broward County issued a statement Sunday and stated that it is carrying out an epidemiological investigation surrounding multiple cases of measles that have occurred at the school.
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"DOH-Broward is continuously working with all partners including Broward County Public Schools and local hospitals to identify close contacts that are at highest risk of transmission and severe illness," the statement said.
The district said it will take further measures by deep cleaning Manatee Bay Elementary and replacing its air filters.
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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, measles had been declared eliminated from the U.S. in 2000, but it has slowly returned over the years.
In fact, the Florida Department of Health shows the last reported case of measles in Broward County was 2019, but it was only one case.
From possible symptoms, to how it is spread, here is what you need to know about measles:
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What is measles?
Measles is a highly contagious virus that lives in the nose and throat mucus of an infected person.
Many people think of measles as just a little rash and fever that clears up in a few days, but measles can actually cause serious health complications, especially in children younger than five.
How is measles spread?
Like most infectious diseases, measles can spread to others through coughing and sneezing.
According to the CDC, the virus can live for up to two hours in an airspace, so if other people breathe the contaminated air or touch the infected surface, then touch their eyes, noses, or mouths, they can become infected.
Animals, however, do not get or spread measles.
If measles was eliminated, why is it back?
In 2000, measles was declared eliminated from the United States which means the disease is no longer constantly present in this country.
But, as travelers continue to bring measles into the United States, and it can sometimes spread and cause outbreaks among people who are not vaccinated.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, over 61 million doses of measles-containing vaccine were postponed or missed from 2020 to 2022 due to delays in supplementary immunization activities, according to the CDC.
This increases the risk of bigger outbreaks around the world, including the U.S.
Most children do get the MMR — or measles, mumps and rubella vaccine — but with a disease as contagious as measles, doctors say it only takes a few holdouts to fuel an outbreak. Data from the Centers for Disease Control shows Florida among the states in which parents using a religious exemption to opt their children out of traditional childhood vaccinations is trending upward.
“Definitely, parents today are much more hesitant than ever. We actually are struggling in our pediatric practices to get kids completely immunized, to complete their series by the time they enter kindergarten because parents are scared, they’re kind of feeding into this misinformation,” said Dr. Lisa Gwynn, a pediatrician who teaches pediatrics at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. “It is extremely unfortunate because it’s all preventable, and the measles vaccine has been around a long time and it’s safe and effective, so the fact that we are still seeing this in modern times is really unfortunate, it’s also dangerous for the community, measles is an extremely infectious and contagious virus.”
What are the symptoms of measles?
According to the CDC, measles symptoms vary based on how long it has been since you had contact with the virus.
Symptoms can appear seven to 14 days after contact with the virus and typically include high fever, cough, runny nose, and watery eyes.
Measles isn’t just a little rash.
For babies and young children, measles can be especially dangerous.
Measles typically begins with:
- high fever
- cough
- runny nose
- red, watery eyes
About two to three days after symptoms begin, tiny white spots (Koplik spots) may appear inside the mouth.
And then three to five days after symptoms begin, a rash breaks out, the CDC said.
It usually begins as flat red spots that appear on the face at the hairline and spread downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs, and feet.
- Small raised bumps may also appear on top of the flat red spots.
- The spots may become joined together as they spread from the head to the rest of the body.
- When the rash appears, a person’s fever may spike to more than 104° Fahrenheit.
How contagious is measles?
Measles is one of the most contagious diseases.
In fact, the CDC says measles is so contagious that if one person has it, up to 90% of the people close to that person who are not immune will also become infected.
Infected people can spread measles to others from four days before through four days after the rash appears.
Who is at greater risk of measles complications?
Measles can be serious in all age groups, but there are several groups that are more likely to suffer from measles complications:
- Children younger than 5 years of age
- Adults older than 20 years of age
- Pregnant women
- People with compromised immune systems, such as from leukemia or HIV infection
Common complications include ear infections in about one in every 10 children with measles and diarrhea in less than one out of 10 people with measles.
Is there a way to prevent the spread of measles?
The measles vaccine is a routine vaccination given to children in the U.S. and is usually given in two doses.
It’s recommended that children get the first dose when they are 12 to 15 months old and the second dose when they are 4 to 6 years old.
According to the CDC, the measles vaccine is a combination vaccine that also protects against mumps and rubella (MMR vaccine) or mumps, rubella, and varicella (MMRV vaccine).
The CDC says getting vaccinated is the best way to protect yourself and others against measles. The vaccine is about 98% effective in preventing measles, so Gwynn said it’s reasonable to assume that the children who came down with the virus at Manatee Bay Elementary School are not vaccinated.
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