5 more students quarantined as measles cases grow at Ave Maria University

AVE MARIA, Fla. —

Since Ave Maria University’s last update on Monday, five more students have been assessed by nurses after developing rashes and are now being quarantined.

The university says additional positive cases are expected as more test results come back. Despite the outbreak, classes and campus activities are continuing.

Some vaccinated students say they feel comfortable remaining on campus.

"We’re vaccinated, so we can go to class and attend all activities," said Josephina Spengler, a sophomore at Ave Maria University.

Spengler and her sister Magdalena said they have heard many of the measles cases involve students who are not vaccinated.

"I’ve heard of people having it or roommates having it, obviously, people that are non-vaccinated," Magdalena Spengler said. "But I think the school is handling that pretty well."

The 49 who are no longer considered contagious refer only to students who have been nurse-assessed on campus, and do not include students who did not go to a clinic or seek off-campus care.

Pediatrician Shahzaib Mirza, owner and medical director of Starz Pediatrics, says the measles vaccine is highly effective and that declining vaccination rates nationwide are contributing to outbreaks.

"If you have both doses of the MMR vaccine, you’re about 97 to 98 percent protected from measles," Mirza said. "Or if you had measles in the past, you shouldn’t get it again."

Mirza explained that lower vaccination rates over the last five years could be weakening what doctors call herd immunity, community-wide protection that helps stop diseases from spreading.

"We absolutely recommend getting vaccinated against these diseases because they do have complications," Mirza said.

Ave Maria University requires students to provide proof of the MMR vaccine, which protects against measles, mumps and rubella. However, Florida allows religious exemptions, which are issued by county health departments for families who say immunizations conflict with their religious beliefs.

State data shows that in the Ave Maria area, more than 500 children, about 10 percent, have religious vaccine exemptions.

The university has not shared how many of its students currently have exemptions.

Mirza said while families have the right to choose, measles remains a serious illness.

"We respect everyone’s right to choose to vaccinate or not," he said. "But at the end of the day, we need to look at the facts. This is a disease that’s dangerous."

Health officials continue to monitor the outbreak and expect updated confirmed case numbers soon.

Doctors are also urging anyone experiencing symptoms such as fever, cough or rash to call their health care provider before going into a medical office to help prevent further spread.

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