Measles cases at university in Florida soar to nearly 60 amid growing outbreaks nationwide

Confirmed cases in at least 21 states in the United States measles As the epidemic continues to spread across the country.

At the University of Notre Dame near Naples, Florida, measles cases have soared to nearly 60. An unvaccinated sophomore at the school told CBS News he had symptoms before testing positive.

“Honestly, at first, it felt…a little bit like I had a head cold,” the student said. “I started getting some rashes and then I started getting a sore throat and coughing.”

Dr. Raul Inard said that at a clinic across the street from campus, he treated two patients with measles — a student and a professor, both of whom were vaccinated.

“Professor, she was exposed to a student who was seriously ill and had severe symptoms,” Enard said. “Had she not been vaccinated, she could have been much more seriously ill.”

“Our top priority remains the health, safety and well-being of every member of our campus community,” the university said in a statement on its website.

Cases surge across U.S.

The United States is now at risk of losing measles elimination status for the first time in more than two decades.

“This is just the cost of doing business while our borders are somewhat porous to global and international travel,” the company’s principal deputy director Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Ralph Abrahamsaid last month. “We have these communities that are choosing not to vaccinate. That’s their individual freedom.”

CBS News has tracked more than 1,000 confirmed cases nationwide in 2026, about half of the cases recorded in all of 2025.

At this time three years ago, there were only two cases of the highly contagious virus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

South Carolina continues to experience its largest outbreak since September, with more than 900 cases.

The CDC recommends that children receive their first dose of MMR vaccine between 12 and 15 months of age.

“I think this is a good reminder that kids should get the measles vaccine,” said FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Macari. “The government has rolled out what we consider to be core essential vaccines, and measles is one of them.”