Health Officials Urge Vaccination Against Serious, Bacterial Illness; 21 Cases In 10 Fla., Counties

Florida Phoenix

April 13, 2022

As Florida health officials continue to investigate an outbreak of a serious and sometimes fatal bacterial illness known as meningococcal disease, 21 cases have been detected in 10 counties so far this year and health officials are urging college students, gay and bisexual men and others to get vaccinated.

The cases have largely been detected in Central Florida, with six confirmed in Central Florida’s Orange County, as of Tuesday, according to data from the Florida Department of Health.

Other counties with confirmed cases of the meningococcal disease include Leon (3), in the state capital; Lake (3), Seminole (1), Osceola (1) and Brevard (2), all surrounding Orange County; Miami-Dade in South Florida (2), and Hardee (1); Hillsborough (1) and Polk (1), also in Central Florida.

In fact, the first cases in January 2022 were in five counties in Central Florida, including Orlando.

The cases have been seen in various age groups, the health department data show, with more young people infected. There are four cases between the ages of 20 and 24, followed by three cases in the 25 to 29 group, and three cases of the 30 to 34 group.

Last week, the state health department announced that ” the number of cases identified in 2022 surpasses the 5-year average of meningococcal disease cases in Florida.” And federal health officials have been monitoring the situation in Florida, encouraging certain high-risk groups to get a vaccine against the meningococcal disease.

Jeremy Redfern, press secretary for the state health department, told the Florida Phoenix in an email Wednesday that the information so far provided by health officials is “still the current state of the disease in Florida.”

Meanwhile, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has warned on its website about “Outbreak in Florida, 2022.”

“There is an ongoing outbreak of meningococcal disease in Florida, primarily among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men, including those living with HIV,” according to the CDC website.

“There have also been cases reported in the state over the last few months, including multiple cases in college students,” according to an alert from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The CDC also reported that “these illnesses are often severe, can be deadly, and include infections of the lining of the brain and spinal cord (meningitis) and bloodstream.”

The state health department advised those groups, college and university students and others to get a meningococcal vaccine, such as the “MenACWY” vaccine, for protection against the potentially deadly disease.

According to state health officials, the disease is caused by bacteria called Neisseria meningitidis but “these bacteria are not as contagious as germs that cause the common cold or flu.” Common symptoms include headache, fever, and stiff neck.

“Over the years, there have been several outbreaks similar to this that have happened,” Leandro Mena, director of CDC’s Division of STD Prevention, said in a news conference Tuesday.

“We don’t know yet what causes this. Meningococcal disease typically happens to college aged kids. That’s why vaccination for this population is recommended. And we will be following the outbreak to learn more about it and try to understand what’s driving this.”

The Florida Phoenix, a nonprofit news site that’s free of advertising and free to readers, covers state government and politics through a mix of in-depth stories, briefs, and social media updates on the latest events, editorial cartoons, and progressive commentary. The Phoenix is part of States Newsroom, a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit supported by grants and a coalition of donors and readers.