Florida saw its first documented case of measles of the year as West Texas grapples with a large outbreak.
A high school student in the Miami area has been diagnosed with the disease. The school is working with local health officials to offer free MMR vaccines to unvaccinated students with parental consent.
The Miami-Dade School District is additionally prepared to provide remote learning options to students whose parents choose to keep them home.
Measles was declared eliminated in 2000 in the United States, but it has been making a comeback in recent months amid rising anti-vaccine sentiment. According to the Pan-American Health Organization, the Americas are at risk of losing their decadeslong designation of having eliminated the virus.
The most significant outbreak is in West Texas, where at least 159 cases have been identified since late January. Most people infected in the southwest are between 5 and 19 years old and unvaccinated from measles, mumps, and rubella. The Texas Department of State Health Services confirmed the first death in the outbreak of an unvaccinated child.
Measles is a highly contagious virus, as up to 90% of unvaccinated people will contract measles if exposed.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., in an op-ed, told parents to consider vaccinating their children against measles without outright endorsing the vaccine.
MEASLES OUTBREAK THREATENS US’S 25-YEAR ELIMINATION STATUS: UN AGENCY
“All parents should consult with their healthcare providers to understand their options to get the MMR vaccine. The decision to vaccinate is a personal one,” he wrote.
A little under 93% of people in the U.S. are vaccinated against measles. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a 95% vaccination threshold must be reached to achieve herd immunity.
