An 8-year-old unvaccinated child from Florida recently tested positive for the measles virus, the Florida Department of Health has confirmed.
Further details about the child’s identity have not been revealed, except that the family resides in Miami-Dade County, reports the Miami Herald.
Unfortunately, this is the second measles case reported in Florida this year. A total of 19 people from nine states — Arizona, California, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Tennessee and Texas — had contracted the disease in 2016, as of May 21, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC.)
Because the measles virus is highly contagious and spreads through the air through coughing and sneezing, the Florida Department of Health is now working to ensure this most recent case does not result in a deadly outbreak.
“Measles is a very serious disease,” said Florida Surgeon General Dr. Celeste Philip. “The best way to protect yourself and others against measles is to get vaccinated. This case serves as a reminder for all residents to check their immunization records or contact their primary care provider’s office to make sure they are up to date on the measles vaccine, as well as all recommended vaccines.”
According to the CDC, the first signs of measles is a runny nose, fever, cough, red eyes and a sore throat. These symptoms are followed by a rash that spreads over the body. A child can contract measles by simply being in a room where a person with measles has been, up to two hours after that person has left. In fact, an infected person can spread measles to others from four days before developing the measles rash through four days afterward.
So how can parents protect kids from the highly-contagious measles virus?
Making sure children receive all vaccinations on the recommended schedule is the most important way parents can protect their kids from potentially serious diseases, such as measles, mumps, whooping cough and more. Specifically, the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) shot is what keeps kids safe from measles.
Children actually need two doses of the MMR vaccine for optimal protection: The first dose is given between 12 months and 15 months of age, and the second at age 4 years to 6 years.
For more information about measles in children, click here to visit the CDC website.