SW Fl facing mounting measles outbreak

Ave Maria in eastern Collier County has at least 11 cases of measles so far that appear to be based at Ave Maria University.

It is the first measles outbreak in Southwest Florida, part of a surge in the highly contagious illness that is likely due to fewer people get vaccinated.

There were six confirmed cases but the expectation is there are 11 positive cases as of mid-day Feb. 2, according to a certified physician assistant at the Mater Dei Clinic in Ave Maria

The case count is likely to rise as testing is ongoing at Mater Dei, at the university and elsewhere in the community.

Unvaccinated children are at risk of getting measles, but so are other people who are not vaccinated or who have compromised immune systems.

So far the cases have been confined to the university.

"We are confident there are 11 cases, all restricted to university students," Anthony Musingo, certified physician assistant at the clinic, said Monday. Measles begins with a blotchy red rash that typically appears on the face and then spreads to the body of the person infected. "I'm told three to four (students) have been hospitalized," Musingo said.