23-05-2025
Measles confirmed in Broward child under 4 in April, officials say
There was one case of measles in Broward County in April, according to state records, at the same time a link to those records was briefly removed from the state website.
A child between the age of 0 (used to refer to newborns) and 4 contracted measles from outside of the U.S. in April in Broward County, according to the Florida Department of Health (DOH) Reportable Disease Frequency Report.
Measles is considered one of the most contagious infections for humans, according to Dr. Aileen Marty, a professor at Florida International University and an expert in infectious disease and disaster medicine. If a person with measles comes in contact with a group of unvaccinated people, there is a 90% chance of the unvaccinated person becoming ill, according to the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases.
A link to the state report, which tracks the spread of infectious diseases across the state's 67 counties, was removed from DOH's main website earlier this year, according to a story in the South Florida Sun Sentinel. According to the article, published on May 9, the last time that chart was available was in March.
The website was getting upgraded at the time, DOH spokesperson Isabel Kilman told the USA TODAY Network – Florida.
But now, the tracker, which can be found as a link on the FLHealthCHARTS website, shows a measles case in Broward County in April.
It occurred one month after a high schooler at Miami Palmetto Senior High School in Miami-Dade County was diagnosed with the highly-contagious disease.
There are no alerts on the the Florida Department of Health in Broward County website or the state DOH website about the measles case in April.
Kilman could not confirm to a USA TODAY Network – Florida reporter that the department did contact tracing with the case in Broward County, but did say if its epidemiologists had a reason to believe people came in contact with someone with measles, they would be notified.
Contact tracing is the process of identifying people who have recently been in contact with someone diagnosed with an infectious disease, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.
In a statement sent by email, DOH said it could not disclose personal information about the case because of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPAA. It establishes federal standards protecting sensitive health information from disclosure without patient's consent, according to the CDC.
"The Department works closely with schools and school systems to ensure that students, faculty, and parents are informed when appropriate. Anyone who may have been in contact with an infected individual is promptly and directly notified to ensure the safety and well-being of the community," the statement says.
The exact age of the child is unknown, as the state's data provides a range from 0 to 4 years old. But a spokesperson for Broward County Schools said the district's Coordinated Student Health Services Department reported it has not had a documented case of measles this year.
Last year, the county saw a measles outbreak that resulted in nine infections. DOH's response at the time was criticized after Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo contradicted federal and medical professional guidance to contain the spread.
As previously reported, measles infections in the U.S. have topped 1,000 in 2025. While Texas remains the epicenter battling the largest number of cases, the presence of measles has been confirmed in 30 states by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) as of Friday, March 9.
Recently, a person infected measles may have spread the virus at a Shakira concert in New Jersey, according to news reports.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, only 88.1% of kindergarteners in Florida were vaccinated against measles in 2023-2024. Herd immunity for measles requires a 95% vaccination rate.
Whether someone gets measles are a child or as an adult, it affects the body's immune response, Marty said. Measles can cause viral pneumonia or in some cases bacterial pnuemonia, because it diminishes the immune system.
It's rare, but some children that contract measles will, years later, manifest serious neurologic problems, she added.
"If you look at what's been going on in the United States, for example ... We won't know the total toll of that outbreak for six to 10 years because of this sort of under-the-radar type of problem that manifests so much later," she said.
Ana Goñi-Lessan, state watchdog reporter for the USA TODAY Network – Florida, can be reached at agonilessan@
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Broward measles case in April adds to growing national resurgence
