A significant measles outbreak has been confirmed at a private university in Florida, with dozens of cases reported as the United States grapples with a historic surge in the highly contagious disease. Officials at Ava Maria University, located in south Florida, announced this week that nurses have assessed seven additional students with measles, bringing the total number of cases to 57 since the semester began last month.
University Response and Student Care
In a campus health update, university authorities revealed that 50 of the infected students have now progressed beyond the four-day contagious period and have developed natural immunity against measles. No further identifying details about the affected students were provided, and it remains unclear how many were fully vaccinated against the disease.
The university stated that 'the vast majority' of its 1,300 students have received both doses of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine. Medical professionals, including doctors, nurses, and coordinators from the Florida Department of Health and Healthcare Network, are currently on-site providing comprehensive care and guidance in collaboration with the campus health clinic.
Comprehensive Support Services
'Students are receiving comprehensive medical and nursing support services, including meals, housing, academics, and spiritual care,' the university emphasized in its statement. The Florida Department of Health is actively conducting contact tracing and exposure assessments while assisting with medical guidance and on-campus clinical services to contain the outbreak.
National Measles Epidemic Context
This local outbreak occurs against the backdrop of a nationwide measles epidemic, with particularly severe outbreaks in South Carolina where nearly 1,000 residents have been infected since October 2025. According to data from the Florida Department of Health, 68 people in Florida have contracted measles so far in 2026.
Nationwide statistics from the Johns Hopkins Center for Outbreak Response Innovation reveal there have been 842 confirmed measles cases in 2026, with 605 of those concentrated in South Carolina alone. Federal data indicates that 93 percent of Americans have received both doses of the MMR vaccine, which falls below the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's 95 percent threshold required for herd immunity.
Vaccination Rates and Requirements
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Florida maintained an MMR vaccination rate of 93 percent, but this has since declined to 89 percent. According to Ava Maria University's official website, all students must provide evidence of MMR vaccination or submit a signed waiver declining vaccination 'after being made aware of the risks' associated with measles.
The two-dose MMR vaccine is 97 percent effective at preventing measles infection, according to CDC guidelines. The immunization is typically administered once between ages 12 and 15 months and again between ages four and six years.
Understanding Measles and Its Dangers
Measles is an extremely infectious viral disease characterized by flu-like symptoms including cough and fever, followed by a distinctive, blotchy rash that typically begins on the face before spreading downward across the body. Additional symptoms may include tiny white spots inside the mouth called Koplik spots.
The disease spreads through direct contact with infectious droplets or through airborne transmission, with patients remaining contagious from four days before the rash appears through four days after its emergence. Enclosed spaces such as airports, airplanes, and university buildings present particularly high-risk environments for disease transmission.
Potential Complications and Health Impacts
While measles can sometimes cause milder symptoms including diarrhea, sore throat, and general achiness, it leads to pneumonia in approximately six percent of otherwise healthy children, with higher rates among malnourished children. The virus initially invades the respiratory system before spreading to lymph nodes and throughout the body, potentially affecting the lungs, brain, and central nervous system.
Though rare, occurring in about one in 1,000 cases, measles can trigger brain swelling that proves fatal in 15 to 20 percent of those affected. Approximately 20 percent of survivors experience permanent neurological damage including brain damage, deafness, or intellectual disability. Additionally, measles severely compromises a child's immune system, leaving them vulnerable to other bacterial and viral infections they were previously protected against.
The combination of declining vaccination rates, highly contagious nature of the disease, and potential for serious complications makes this outbreak particularly concerning for public health officials monitoring the situation both in Florida and nationwide.
