Florida measles cases surge, ranking third nationwide

Concerning outbreak of measles reported in SW Florida

A quarantine is underway after a measles outbreak was reported at Ave Maria University in Southwest Florida after nearly 60 cases of measles were seen since the start if the semester. FOX 35's Garrett Wymer spoke with Dr. George Rust with FSU College of Medicine to discuss the impacts, and what parents can do to keep their children safe. 

ORLANDO, Fla. - Florida is reporting a sharp rise in measles cases, placing it among the states with the highest totals so far this year. 

Health officials say most infections are concentrated in one county, with a large share affecting young adults.

What we know:

According to the Florida Department of Health, confirmed measles diagnoses rose nearly 25% in one week, increasing from 92 cases on Feb. 14 to 114 on Feb. 21. The figures were published in the agency’s Reportable Diseases Frequency Report.

Data from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health’s U.S. Measles Tracker show Florida currently ranks third in the nation for total cases this year. The state trails Utah, which has 123 confirmed cases, by nine infections. Florida’s data are updated weekly on Thursdays, while Utah’s totals are refreshed at least every Tuesday.

South Carolina leads the country with 653 confirmed cases, driven by an outbreak that began in Spartanburg County.

Within Florida, roughly three-quarters of cases — 82 out of 114 — are in Collier County. An outbreak was identified in late January at Ave Maria University. Other affected counties include Alachua, Broward, Duval, Escambia, Hillsborough, Lee, Manatee, Miami-Dade, Pinellas and St. Johns.

State data show that about 81% of reported cases involve people ages 15 to 24. Of the 114 confirmed infections, 76 were acquired within Florida rather than linked to travel outside the state.

What we don't know:

The state’s public reporting system does not disclose the vaccination status of individuals who have contracted measles. It is also unclear how many of the cases are directly tied to the Collier County cluster versus separate chains of transmission in other counties.

Because reporting schedules vary by state, Florida’s relative ranking could shift as new data are released. It remains uncertain whether the current pace of new diagnoses will continue in the coming weeks or begin to slow.

The backstory:

Measles is a highly contagious respiratory virus that was declared eliminated in the United States in 2000 but continues to resurface in localized outbreaks, often linked to pockets of lower vaccination coverage. College campuses and close-contact settings can facilitate rapid spread when cases are introduced.

The outbreak in Collier County was first reported in late January, centered at Ave Maria University, drawing state health officials to the campus as case counts climbed.

Big picture view:

Nationally, public health officials are monitoring clusters across multiple states as measles cases rise in early 2026. Florida’s trajectory — now just behind Utah and far below South Carolina’s outbreak total — underscores how quickly rankings can change as new outbreaks emerge.

The concentration of cases among young adults in Florida stands out, as measles historically affects young children but can spread in under-immunized adolescent and adult populations.