Two new cases of measles have been confirmed in Broward County, Florida, with two children in Weston testing positive for the highly contagious virus. The total number of measles cases in the county has now risen from six to eight, raising concerns among health officials and the local community.

The new patients are a child younger than five years old and another between the ages of five to nine years old. Dr. Aileen Marty, an infectious disease expert with Florida International University, stressed the dangers of measles and the crucial importance of vaccinations in preventing its spread.

The outbreak was reported at a Broward County Public School in Weston, where 33 out of 1,067 students at Manatee Bay Elementary School were not vaccinated. This raised further concerns as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends excluding unvaccinated children from school during an outbreak to prevent further transmission.

Dr. Joseph Ladapo, the state’s surgeon general, came under criticism for his handling of the outbreak, as concerns grew about the potential for measles to infect more people. Dr. Marty warned that measles can infect 15 to 20 people per person among the unvaccinated, highlighting the urgent need for vaccination to protect public health.

Local health authorities are urging parents to ensure their children are up to date on their vaccinations to prevent further cases of measles in the community. The recent outbreak serves as a reminder of the importance of vaccination in protecting against vaccine-preventable diseases and the potential consequences of low vaccination rates.