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Two children have contracted measles after the state's top health official defied federal guidance to contain an outbreak at a Broward County elementary school.

Six children at Manatee Bay Elementary School, in Weston near Fort Lauderdale, caught the disease over a week ago. New state health data show two more cases in Broward County, of a child younger than 5 and another between ages 5 and 9.

The newly reported infections bring the total to eight, just days after Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo contradicted federal and medical professional guidance to contain the spread of the highly contagious and preventable disease that's resurging globally and in the U.S. Florida is one of 11 states that have seen cases this year.

Also Monday, the Orlando Sentinel reported that a Polk County resident aged 20-24 is infected, the first Florida adult infected with the highly contagious disease.

As of Sunday, the Health Department did not have any reported cases of measles in Palm Beach County, according to its online reportable diseases database.

It's unclear if Florida's two new child cases in Broward are connected to the school outbreak. Broward County Public Schools haven’t identified new cases since Tuesday, Feb. 19 when there were six, district spokesperson John Sullivan said.

The state Department of Health said there was no additional information at this time.

In a letter Tuesday, Feb. 19 Ladapo said Manatee Bay parents and guardians could decide whether to send their children back to school, a statement that conflicted with federal and medical professional recommendations that children from the school should remain at home to prevent the spread of measles. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that unvaccinated children exposed to measles be isolated for three weeks. Ladapo appeared to agree with this assessment before he concluded that children’s attendance was up to parents or guardians because of the “high immunity rate” and the burden of healthy children missing school, but he said the state's recommendation could change.

Health experts are concerned by his lax attitude.

“This is a state surgeon general saying that he is not going to enforce any of the tenets of public health in the name of freedom,” said Dr. Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, which has worked to contain a recent measles outbreak among children in the Pennsylvania city. “He wants freedom at the expense of putting children in harm’s way.”

The only freedom Ladapo is upholding is the "freedom to harm," Offit said.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis tapped Ladapo to be surgeon general in 2021, in part because of his vocal opposition COVID-19 vaccine mandates and school closures. Last month, Ladapo said the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines pose health risks, defying federal approvals and scientific consensus.

With the measles outbreak, Ladapo again stands apart. Experts say that isolation and vaccination are the best way to stop the spread.

“This is a vaccine-preventable disease,” Dr. Thresia Gambon, president of the Florida chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, told USA TODAY. “There are very strict guidelines as to what to do in an outbreak in order to contain it quickly.”

Gambon’s organization, which represents pediatricians in the state, supports CDC’s recommendation that children at the school should have been told to isolate.

Measles can come with serious risks. About one in five children who become ill end up in the hospital, the CDC said. And 1 in 1,000 can develop encephalitis, or brain swelling that can have neurological effects. Between one and three children in a thousand will die.

A full-dose regimen of the vaccine is about 98% effective against measles. About 90% of unvaccinated people who come in contact with the virus will get it. Measles can be transmitted without physical contact. A person can catch it from droplets lingering in the air or on surfaces.

At Manatee Bay Elementary, 33 of the school's 1,067 students don’t have the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, said Sullivan, of Broward County Schools. That means about 97% have been given some percentage of their measles vaccine. Sullivan declined to say whether the six students who contracted measles had previously been vaccinated, citing privacy concerns.

Less than 92% of Broward County kindergartners had been immunized as of 2022, in line with state figures. This is below national averages, which have shown declines in recent years, and the U.S. goal of 95% coverage with the measles vaccine.

In the meantime, parents at Manatee Bay have pulled their children out of school. On Tuesday, 219 students did not attend class in person, Sullivan said. By Friday, some had returned and 159 students remained at home.

In January, the CDC warned health providers they needed to do more to detect a potential measles spread in their communities amid a global rise in cases. The lack of large U.S. outbreaks so far signals there is still good immunization against measles through vaccines, said Dr. William Moss, executive director of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health's International Vaccine Access Center.

But outbreaks could worsen in the right circumstances, Moss said, if enough unvaccinated children are exposed to the virus and they spread measles into a community.

What is measles?

Measles is a viral infection that usually causes a high fever, cough, runny nose, and watery eyes between seven and 14 days after the person comes in contact with the virus.

Three to five days after symptoms begin, a rash usually breaks out. It often begins as flat red spots that appear on the face at the hairline and spread downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs and feet, according to the CDC.

When the rash appears, a person’s fever may spike to more than 104°.

Measles spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. It is so contagious that if one person has it, up to nine out of 10 people around that person will also become infected if they are not vaccinated, according to the CDC.

How serious is measles?

Measles is especially dangerous for children under 5 years old, babies, pregnant people or people with HIV.

About one in five people who get the infection and are unvaccinated for measles are hospitalized, according to the CDC.

Severe complications from measles include pneumonia, swelling of the brain (encephalitis), pregnancy complications and death.

As many as 1 out of every 20 children with measles gets pneumonia, the most common cause of death from measles in young children, according to the CDC.

Is there a vaccine for measles?

Measles is completely preventable if a child receives the MMR vaccine.

The vaccine protects against three diseases: measles, mumps and rubella. The CDC recommends children get two doses of MMR vaccine, starting with the first dose when they are 12 to 15 months old, and the second dose between 4 and 6 years old.

Measles has been considered an "eliminated" virus in the U.S. since 2000.

The World Health Organization classifies a virus as eliminated from a country after there is no transmission within that country for at least 12 months. Elimination is different from eradication, which means a disease or virus has been wiped out worldwide.

"While we expect importations of measles cases into the United States to continue, the risk for measles for the majority of the population would still remain low. That is because most people in the United States are vaccinated against measles," the CDC website says.

Can you get measles if you're vaccinated?

Those that have received the full series of the MMR immunization are 98% protected and are highly unlikely to contract measles, according to the Florida Department of Health.

What to do if your child shows symptoms of measles

In the event of exposure to measles, it's vital to take precautionary measures. Measles is highly contagious, with individuals being infectious even before the onset of the rash.

If you or your child are exposed, stay home and avoid contact with others for a full 21 days to mitigate the risk of spreading the virus further, according to Dr. Shannon Fox-Levine, owner and pediatrician at Palm Beach Pediatrics.

If you suspect or notice any symptoms of measles, contact your health care provider to receive instructions on how to safely seek medical attention without exposing other patients.

Do not abruptly visit the Health Department or your health care provider without contacting them ahead of time.

Is there a cure for measles?

Unfortunately, there isn't a specific cure for measles. Since it's a viral infection, the body needs time to fight it off, Dr. Fox-Levine said.

Ensuring plenty of fluids, ample rest, and isolation from group settings are essential steps in managing the illness and preventing its spread to others, particularly in school or daycare environments.

Palm Beach Post education reporter Katherine Kokal contributed to this report. You can reach her at kkokal@pbpost.com. Help support our work, subscribe today!

There's a bitey visitor in Gold Coast waters.

A 10-foot 5-inch great white shark named Rose has moved south after being tracked off the Treasure Coast Saturday and Sunday.

The 600-pound shark was outfitted with a satellite tag by the research group OCEARCH in 2020. The tag, attached to Rose's dorsal fin, sends a ping with location information to trackers when it breaks the water.

On Monday at 4:42 a.m., Rose pinged off Boynton Beach. She previously pinged off Stuart at 11:28 p.m. Saturday and off Juno Beach at the southern end of the Treasure Coast at 6:01 a.m. Sunday.

In the 1,234 days since she was tagged by scientists, Rose has traveled 14,826 miles. According to her tracker shows Rose has spent her winters around Florida since 2021, including the Gulf of Mexico in 2022 and 2023.

It's not unusual for great white sharks to be in Florida waters during the winter months. They migrate south in search of warmer water and food sources.

An 8-foot 8-inch white shark nicknamed Jekyll pinged off Jupiter Island on Feb. 7.

Here's what to know about Rose, other sharks around the Gold Coast, OCEARCH and white sharks in Florida:

More about OCEARCH great white shark Rose

White shark Rose was tagged by OCEARCH scientists off Lunenburg, Nova Scotia on Oct. 4, 2020.

She measured 10 feet 5 inches, weighed 600 pounds and was classified as a juvenile shark.

Great white sharks can grow up to 20 feet long, but most are smaller with males averaging 11 to 13 feet.

According to OCEARCH, she was named after Rose Bay near where she was tagged.

White shark Jekyll tracked off Jacksonville, Jupiter Island

Jekyll, an 8-foot 8-inch white shark, pinged off Jacksonville Feb. 4 and Jupiter Island Feb. 7

The juvenile male white shark surprised scientists when they discovered he had been traveling for 4,000 miles alongside a 9-foot white shark named Simon. White sharks were previously thought to prefer only solitude.

But it appears Jekyll and Simon have parted company. Simon's tracker pinged in the Gulf of Mexico off Marco Island on Feb. 4, while Jekyll's pinged off Jacksonville on the same day.

Great white sharks in Florida?

Yes. White sharks migrate south when the water gets cold and food sources become scarce up north, according to OCEARCH chief scientist Dr. Bob Hueter.

Think of them as the snowbirds of sharks.

Most of them tend to stay away from the beaches in continental shelf waters, Hueter said.

What is OCEARCH?

OCEARCH is a nonprofit research organization studying the ocean's giants.

The group studies great white sharks and other keystone species essential for the health of the oceans.

OCEARCH recently finished up its 46th expedition, dubbed Expedition Southeast. It departed from Jacksonville on Nov. 17 and made its final docking in Morehead City, North Carolina on Dec. 15.

During the expeditions, researchers collected previously unattainable data on the animals' migrations, reproductive cycle, genetic status, diet, abundance, and more.

"If we lose the apex predator (sharks) then we lose all our fish and then there are no fish sandwiches for our grandchildren," OCEARCH founder Chris Fischer told the Courier Journal. "That's oversimplified, of course, but the idea is important because many shark species are threatened by overfishing and a demand for shark fins in Asia. Their dwindling numbers jeopardize ocean habitats."

Most shark attacks happen in Florida

There were 69 documented unprovoked shark attacks around the globe in 2023. The U.S. led the world with 36 attacks and Florida again was the state with the most bites at 16.

Florida shark attacks by county:

While the U.S. has the most attacks, South Africa has the most shark-related fatalities.

Since 1992, there have been 1,232 shark bites worldwide, according to data from floridapanhandle.com, with white sharks credited as the top biters.

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WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. —

Spring training baseball has begun across the Palm Beaches and Treasure Coast, and baseball fans from our area and across the country have flocked to local ballparks to watch the teams and sport they love.

The Washington Nationals played against the Houston Astros at Cacti Park of the Palm Beaches on Saturday.

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People are funneling into @CACTIParkPB for the ballpark’s first spring training game of the year! The @Nationals host the @astros tonight and the first pitch is at 6:05 p.m. pic.twitter.com/JCDU3relox

— Steve King WPBF (@WPBF_Steve) February 24, 2024

"Always excited. Old-time baseball fan,” said Oscar DeSoto, who's traveled to West Palm Beach from the Washington, D.C., area for spring training baseball the last five years.

Related: 2024 MLB Spring Training schedule at Roger Dean Stadium and CACTI Park

"I'm very excited because I get to see the Astros in spring training,” said Marjorie Montemayor, a Houston Astros fan from Texas enjoying her first spring training experience.

"Baseball is fun,” said Johnny Danegelis of Palm Beach County, who went to Saturday's game in West Palm Beach with his dad.

"The score at the end doesn’t matter. You’re just there to have fun,” said R.J., who went to see his beloved Washington Nationals with his friend Santi.

Stay updated on the latest sports news with the WPBF 25 News app. You can download it here

"I mean, it’s my first game. I’m excited for it,” Santi said.

Many people from our area took advantage of being able to watch spring training baseball practically in their own backyard.

"I guess I just enjoy that you get to be closer to the action than you do at the major league parks, like down in Miami, you don’t get the access to the players like you do here,” said Kevin Minges, who lives in Delray Beach.

"It’s so fun because it’s nice weather, and it’s a beautiful time for the year in Florida,” said Veronica Morgan of Jupiter.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — At New Bethel Missionary Baptist Church, Pastor Toby Philpart and Dr. Dwight Reynolds have been working on a big project.

"You don't have to die because of COVID," Philpart told WPTV.

With special permission from the state of Florida, they're giving away thousands of doses of Paxlovid, which is used to treat COVID during the first five days of symptoms, every Sunday to those who can't afford the medication.

One dose of Paxlovid typically costs around $1,390 for those without health insurance.

"The major need that we're trying to address are those in neighborhoods typically, people that look like Pastor Toby and myself, that do not have access to it, do not have vehicles to drive to a doctor's office or go to a pharmacist to get the medication," Reynolds said.

It's a message that Dr. Imran Ali, assistant professor of medicine at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, echoes.

"Paxlovid is a breakthrough antiviral treatment for coronavirus," Ali told WPTV.

Ali said research shows the coronavirus is still greatly impacting many vulnerable communities in Florida.

"COVID can particularly be difficult for those who are, you know, not having health insurance, who have not seen a doctor, those who may be in a lower socioeconomic class," Ali said. "From the data, even from different Florida counties from last year, we can see that those who have been hospitalized and have succumbed to COVID fit into these categories."

That's what Philpart and Reynolds are hoping to help fight, by making life-saving drugs, like Paxlovid, more accessible.

"One in three people that get COVID happen to be African American," Reynolds said. "They will have severe disease, hospitalizations, intensive care unit and perhaps, death. So, there's been such an outcry."

The giveaway is taking place every Sunday at New Bethel Missionary Baptist Church in West Palm Beach starting at 8:45 a.m. The church will host these events while supplies last.

Reynolds said each box of Paxlovid has a special label on it, directing people to call doctors at the Centers for Health Promotion before they take their first dose.

Each person must also provide all of their information to the doctors at the event before going home with the medication.

Copyright 2024 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

'One of the things I heard was a solar X-flare, a major flare, has taken out a lot of services,' Alan Crowetz says

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Many South Floridians who have AT&T experienced a lengthy outage Thursday morning.

"I woke up and there's no connection on my phone and I'm trying to meet with a client and I had to leave because I can't communicate at all," Tamara Taylor, an AT&T customer in West Palm Beach, said.

Before the store opened Thursday morning, Taylor and a group of AT&T customers waited outside looking for answers when their cellphone service stopped working.

"I'm an electrician. Every morning I receive a call to let me know where I'm heading for to work and right now I don't even know where I'm going," Dave Cash, another local AT&T customer, said.

More than 32,000 AT&T outages were reported at about 4 a.m. Thursday. That spiked to more than 71,000 outages at about 8 a.m.

Over 1,000 T-Mobile outages and about 3,000 Verizon outages were reported Thursday morning as well.

"One of the things I heard was a solar X-flare, a major flare, has taken out a lot of services and Wi-Fi and satellites and things like that," Alan Crowetz, the president and CEO of InfoStream, told WPTV. "There's also a lot of talk about a major backbone being cut."

Crowetz, a West Palm Beach cybersecurity expert, said official information about the cause could take some time.

"They're working so hard on the problem that there hasn't been a lot of information shared about what exactly is causing it all," Crowetz said.

AT&T released the following statement Thursday afternoon regarding the outage:

"We have restored wireless service to all our affected customers. We sincerely apologize to them. Keeping our customers connected remains our top priority, and we are taking steps to ensure our customers do not experience this again in the future."

According to AT&T's outage tracker on their website, most of the service in Florida was restored by about 1 p.m.

There is still no official word on the cause of the outages.

"This is a great example of where something could hit us, a cyberattack by another country, a solar flare, whatever it may be," Crowetz said. [It shows] how vulnerable we are from our lives being disrupted by a technology incident."

Copyright 2024 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.