Measles

Measles is highly contagious, and immunization rates in some counties are below the 95% recommended for herd immunity.

Measles is the most deadly of all childhood rash illnesses, according to the Florida Department of Health. Two children and an adult died this year in a measles outbreak in Texas.

Dr. Jyoti Somani, the the Associate Medical Director of Infection Prevention and Antimicrobial Stewardship at Jackson Health sat down with WLRN to answer questions about measles after a case was confirmed at a Miami-Dade high school.

Miami-Dade school and state health officials say they are continuing to monitor the school in Pinecrest for any potential outbreak of measles.

School officials sent a letter to parents that confirmed a student had been diagnosed with measles. A spokesperson Miami-Dade County Public Schools said a press conference is scheduled for Wednesday to discuss the measles case.

U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25) called for Florida's surgeon general Dr. Joseph Ladapo, a Gov. DeSantis ally, to resign or be terminated over his refusal to declare a public health emergency over the Broward County outbreak.

In the wake of measles cases at a Broward school, Florida's surgeon general writes that the Department of Health “is deferring to parents or guardians to make decisions about school attendance” without urging the need for MMR vaccinations.

Another reason not to skip the measles vaccine: A measles infection may cause lasting harm to the immune system, research finds, making patients more vulnerable to other diseases.

There's mounting evidence that the measles virus can erase our immunity to everything from influenza viruses to diarrheal disease.

Americans born in the '70s and '80s may not be immune to measles, health officials say. If you're traveling to a country or region having an outbreak, consider a second dose of vaccine before you go.

On any given day, more than 4,000 people pass through the library at California State University-Los Angeles.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported more than 900 cases of measles in the United States this year, including two in Florida....