Measles continues to spread in the United States, with 704 cases reported so far this year in 22 states including Florida.
U.S. health officials on Monday updated the national tally, which hit record levels last week and neared the total for any full year since 1994, when 963 cases were reported. In just the first four months of 2019, the country has the highest number of reported measles cases since the disease was considered eliminated in 2000.
Florida’s two cases of measles — one in Broward and the other in Pinellas county — were adults who had traveled outside the United States to parts of the world where measles outbreaks are happening. State epidemiologist Carina Blackmore said there is no connection between the measles cases in Florida and those in other areas of the U.S. such as New York where major outbreaks have occurred, particularly in the unvaccinated populations.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says this year’s count includes 44 people who caught the disease while traveling in another country. Some of them triggered U.S. outbreaks, mostly among unvaccinated people. That includes the largest outbreaks, in Orthodox Jewish communities in and around New York City.
Three-quarters of those who caught the extremely contagious disease are children or teenagers. This is particularly troublesome in Florida where only 93 percent of kindergartners in public and private schools are vaccinated, which is lower than the state goal of 95 percent.
No deaths have been reported from measles thus far, but 66 patients were hospitalized.
Measles is considered highly contagious and has no cure, only treatment of symptoms. Measles spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
South Florida Sun Sentinel staff writer Cindy Krischer Goodman contributed to this report.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
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