Measles, once declared eliminated in the U.S., is again gaining ground. What was long considered a childhood disease, largely kept at bay by vaccination, has resurfaced in clusters across multiple states, driven largely by pockets of low immunization and ease of transmission. Health officials warn that even small immunity gaps can allow the virus, one of the most contagious diseases in the world, to spread quickly.

In Sarasota County, that vulnerability is visible. Kindergarten immunization compliance was 79.9 percent in 2025, about 10 percentage points lower than 2019. Public health data show measles can infect 9 out of 10 unvaccinated people who are exposed, a dynamic that can accelerate spread in communities where coverage is already below recommended thresholds.

Florida’s public statewide measles totals have not been updated since 2024. Even so, one outbreak has become difficult to ignore: Ave Maria University in Collier County has reported at least 53 cases of measles, with updates coming from the school and Naples-area media rather than state health reports. Separate cases have also been confirmed in Alachua County and at St. Petersburg Catholic High School.

Two years ago, Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo drew national attention when he left it up to parents of measles-exposed, unvaccinated children to decide whether their children should continue attending school, rather than requiring the standard 21-day quarantine typically recommended during outbreaks. More recently, Ladapo has compared vaccine mandates to slavery, comments that have intensified debate as measles cases rise. However, Dr. Mehmet Oz—director of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services—broke with the Trump administration's often-cynical stance on vaccine efficacy this weekend, urging Americans to "take the vaccine, please," and promising that there "will never be a barrier to Americans getting access to the measles vaccine.”

Beyond Florida, the largest single outbreak is in upstate South Carolina. The South Carolina Department of Health confirmed 13 new cases this week, raising the state’s total to 933 since the outbreak began last fall. Officials say about 95 percent of cases have been in Spartanburg County. Among 876 patients with vaccination details, 859 were unvaccinated; 20 were partially vaccinated; and 25 were fully vaccinated; while 29 had unknown status. More than two-thirds of South Carolina cases, 594, have occurred in children ages 5 to 17. Children under 5 represent 245 cases, or 28 percent.

Nationally, the CDC reported 733 U.S. cases this week, up 145 in one week. Of those, 727 were reported by 20 states and six were travel-related. Ninety-two percent are outbreak-related. Across the United States, 95 percent of patients are unvaccinated or have unknown vaccination status. Eighty-five percent are age 19 or younger, including 28 percent under age 5. Twenty-three patients, or 3 percent, have required hospital care so far this year. No deaths have been reported in 2026. In 2025, three deaths were reported among 2,276 total U.S. cases, the highest annual count since 1991.

Beyond a rash and fever, measles can lead to other complications, including pneumonia and encephalitis, can require hospitalization and can be fatal, particularly in unvaccinated people and very young children. Two doses of the Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccine provide roughly 97 percent protection against the disease and can be administered 28 days apart. Standard protocol for unvaccinated children exposed to measles typically includes a 21-day quarantine. Click here to learn more.