Measles Outbreak Hits Florida College

More than 40 cases reported at Ave Maria University, raising concerns about spread on campuses

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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A measles outbreak has hit Ave Maria University in southwest Florida, with more than 40 students falling ill. This is the largest measles outbreak on a college campus in recent history, raising concerns that measles may present a growing threat to unvaccinated college students as vaccination rates decline nationwide.

Why it matters

The measles outbreak at Ave Maria University highlights the vulnerability of college campuses to infectious diseases like measles, especially as vaccination exemption rates rise among young adults. This outbreak comes during a dire period for measles in the U.S., with over 2,280 cases reported nationwide in 2025, the highest since the virus was declared eliminated in 2000.

The details

The outbreak at the private Catholic college has prompted university leaders and public health experts to warn that measles, long considered a childhood illness, may now pose a growing threat to college students who aren't vaccinated. Most colleges require proof of vaccination, but many allow religious or personal exemptions, leading to an uptick in unvaccinated students in recent years.

  • In January, more than 80 students at Clemson University and Anderson University in South Carolina were quarantined after cases were reported on those campuses.
  • In early February, the University of Wisconsin-Madison notified around 4,000 people that they had been exposed to the virus on campus.
  • Also in February, the University of Florida informed students that two classes at its Gainesville campus had been exposed to measles.

The players

Ave Maria University

A private Catholic college in southwest Florida where the measles outbreak has occurred, with more than 40 students falling ill.

Dr. Sarah Van Orman

Past president of the American College Health Association and chief campus health officer at the University of Southern California, who says many colleges are now preparing for the possibility of measles outbreaks on their campuses.

Dr. Michael Osterholm

An infectious disease expert at the University of Minnesota, who says the current generation of young adults in their early 20s are not protected against measles, having never had the disease or been vaccinated.

Dr. Jonathan Temte

A former chairman of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's vaccine advisory committee, who says college campuses are an "ideal" place for viruses like measles to spread.

Lauren Gardner

A public health expert who leads a measles tracking project at Johns Hopkins University, who expects the measles case count in the U.S. to be even higher this year compared to 2025, largely due to declining childhood vaccination rates.

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What they’re saying

“For most of us, it's not if we'll get a case, it's when.”

— Dr. Sarah Van Orman, Chief campus health officer at the University of Southern California

“We are now starting to see a group of individuals in their early 20s who are not protected. They never had measles, they've never been vaccinated, and they're in large enough numbers that we're going to start seeing more outbreaks.”

— Dr. Michael Osterholm, Infectious disease expert at the University of Minnesota

The takeaway

This measles outbreak at Ave Maria University underscores the growing vulnerability of college campuses to infectious diseases like measles, as vaccination exemption rates rise among young adults. Colleges must be vigilant in tracking immunization data, refining outbreak response plans, and potentially considering stricter vaccine requirements to protect their student populations.