May 8, 2007

4 cases of measles in county confirmed

Diane Chun, Staff Writer
Gainesville Sun (FL)
May 8, 2007

A fourth case of measles has been confirmed in Alachua County, Health Director Tom Belcuore said Monday.

The outbreak of measles cases, the first in the county in 22 years, has been tied to the Hare Krishna community in Alachua. The first case was diagnosed around April 1 in someone who had recently traveled to India.

"This is an old case, one that goes back to mid-April," Belcuore said of the latest confirmed case of measles, in a student attending Santa Fe Community College.

A case involving a University of Florida student was confirmed by the Health Department on April 29. His brother, an SFCC student, also came down with measles in mid-April.

All have ties to Alachua's Krishna community, which with more than 800 members is one of the largest representations of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness outside of India. Many members have elected not to be vaccinated, and some cite religious reasons.

Bennye Alligood, SFCC's vice president for community relations, said the two community college students were in SFCC's high-school dual-enrollment program.

Alligood said SFCC students were on semester break this week, but would be informed of the two cases on campus when they logged on to the school's Web site to get their final grades.

Measles is a highly contagious disease, with an average of 12 additional people infected for every case. The incubation period is eight to 12 days, and the person with measles is contagious for four days before and four days after the characteristic rash appears.

Health Department officials have asked members of the Krishna community to voluntarily restrict their travel and have advised them not to congregate in large groups or attend school until the danger of spreading the measles has passed.

Krishna community members will not serve lunches on UF's Plaza of the Americas while the risk of contagion continues.

David Jakupko, an Alachua Realtor and ISKCON member, said the choice to be immunized is left up to the individual, but "absolutely there is concern about the spread of measles in our community and we are being careful here."

Within any faith-based organization, Jakupko explained, there is leeway to make personal choices. Whether or not to be vaccinated is one of those choices.

"We went out Sunday and offered a free vaccination to anyone who wanted it," Belcuore said, adding that more than 50 had accepted.

He said the Health Department would continue to work with community members.

Diane Chun can be reached at 352-374-5041 or chund@gvillesun.com



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