Measles case confirmed at St. Petersburg Catholic High; classes to continue ‘as normal’

School officials told parents via email that they are unaware of any additional cases.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — One case of measles was confirmed at St. Petersburg Catholic High School. 10 Tampa Bay News learned about this through a spokesperson with the Diocese of St. Petersburg.

“We were just made aware that one of our sophomore students has a confirmed case of measles,” an email, sent to parents and guardians of the students, reads. “The student in question has not been present at school since January 27th and we are unaware of any additional cases at this time.”

A copy of the email was shared on Thursday night with 10 Tampa Bay News.

School officials state in the email that they are already working with health officials to ensure that students and staff remain safe. The school plans to continue all classes and activities “as normal,” citing high vaccination rates in the school.

“While diocesan immunization policy allows for medical exemptions from a licensed physician, 99.2% of our student body is vaccinated against measles,” the email reads. “Given the school’s high vaccination rate, we plan to continue all classes and activities as normal.”

School officials told the parents and guardians in the email that if anyone has symptoms, they should stay home and seek medical care. In addition, anyone who is unvaccinated or immunocompromised “should contact their physicians for further guidance.”

This comes as Florida health officials said last week that cases of measles were confirmed in the state, including two in the Tampa Bay area, in Hillsborough, Manatee counties. In addition, multiple cases were reported at the Ave Maria University campus in Collier County.

Measles symptoms in kids

FDOH says measles symptoms appear 7-14 days after contact with the virus and include:

High feverRed and watery eyesCoughRunning noseRash that can start on the face and neck before spreading to the entire body. Rashes appear 3-5 days after the first symptoms.

Koplik spots

About 2 to 3 days after the first measles symptoms appear, tiny white spots called Koplik spots may appear inside the mouth, according to the Mayo Clinic.

How does measles spread?

Measles can spread through the air when someone infected breathes, sneezes or coughs. It can stay infectious in the airways and surfaces for up to two hours, according to the CDC. 

Health experts say if one person has it, up to 9 out of 10 people nearby will become infected if they are not protected. The Mayo Clinic adds that a person with measles can spread the virus four days before the rash appears and four days after.

Those most at risk include children and adults who are immunocompromised or have underlying health conditions, infants under 12 months old and pregnant women.

How to treat measles

There is no specific treatment for measles; however, certain medications can help manage symptoms. Vitamin A supplementation may be helpful when given by your health care provider.

The most effective protection against measles is the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, the CDC says.

“Most people who are vaccinated with MMR & MMRV will be protected for life,” the CDC states. “Vaccines and high rates of vaccination have made these diseases much less common in the United States.”

Measles, also known as rubeola, is an illness caused by one of the most contagious viruses, according to FDOH. Characterized by a red rash that starts on the face and neck, it can lead to serious complications, especially in children younger than 5 years old.  

Common measles complications include ear infections and diarrhea, while more serious complications include pneumonia or encephalitis, FDOH says.

Experts say that while encephalitis is rare, this swelling of the brain requires hospitalization and intensive treatment. This can cause seizures, hallucinations, permanent brain damage, blindness, hearing loss and memory loss.

Is measles deadly?

While measles typically doesn’t lead to long-term medical issues, it can be deadly in severe cases, particularly in children younger than 5 and those with weakened immune systems, the Mayo Clinic reports.