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The University of Florida said Thursday that it was looking into possible measles exposure in two classes after two cases of measles were reported in Alachua County.
In a statement, the university said that contact tracing was being conducted in those classes and that health officials had already reached out to people who may have been exposed.
UF said people who have not been contact have no reason to believe they were exposed.
"The vast majority of UF students, faculty and staff are immune to measles, either through vaccination or having contracted it prior to the availability of the vaccine," UF said in a statement.
UF didn’t say which classes might have been exposed.
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Measles cases on the rise in the U.S.
Measles was declared eliminated from the United States in 2000, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, there’s been a surge of cases across the country this year.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there have been 588 confirmed measles cases in the U.S. as of Jan. 29. The cases have been reported in 17 states, including Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia and South Carolina.
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What are the symptoms of measles?
Measles is highly contagious, and it spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes, according to the CDC. Measles can also cause serious health complications, especially in children younger than 5, according to health officials.
Common measles symptoms include high fever, cough, runny nose, conjunctivitis and rash. According to the CDC, symptoms appear 7 to 14 days after someone comes into contact with the virus.
The CDC recommends getting the MMR vaccine to protect against measles. Two doses are about 97% effective, according to the CDC.
Most people who are vaccinated with MMR will be protected for life, according to the CDC.
The Source: This story was written with information released by The University of Florida and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.