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Vaccine Preventable Diseases (VPD)

Florida Health

Disease Control

Vaccine Preventable Disease Surveillance Report September 2024

Hepatitis A

A graph showing hepatitis A activity has fluctuated each month from October 2023 – September 2024. In September, 9 cases were reported.
  • Hepatitis A activity increased from last month and was below the previous 5-year average.
  • 9 cases were reported in September.

Pertussis

A graph showing pertussis activity has fluctuated each month from October 2023 – September 2024. In September, 66 cases were reported.
  • Pertussis activity decreased from last month and was above the previous 5-year average.
  • 66 cases were reported in September.

Meningococcal Disease

A graph showing meningococcal disease activity has fluctuated each month from October 2023 – September 2024. In September, 1 case was reported.
  • Meningococcal disease activity increased from last month and was below the previous 5-year average.
  • 1 case was reported in September.

Varicella

A graph showing varicella activity has fluctuated each month from September 2023 – October 2024. In September, 40 cases were reported.
  • Varicella activity increased from last month and was below the previous 5-year average.
  • 40 cases were reported in September.

For all vaccine-preventable diseases, timely and complete vaccination is the best way to prevent infection. Although vaccinated individuals can still become infected with diseases like pertussis or varicella, in general, those who have received at least 1 dose of vaccine have less severe outcomes than those who have never been vaccinated for the disease.

A map showing the proportion of children ages 5–17 years with religious exemptions by county as of September 30, 2024. Counties with a proportion of 1.53%–3.95% are: Baker Bradford Calhoun Dixie Franklin Gadsden Hamilton Hardee Hendry Jackson Liberty Putnam Taylor Union Wakulla Counties with a proportion of 3.96%–6.55% are: Alachua Bay Broward Clay Columbia DeSoto Duval Escambia Gilchrist Glades Gulf Highlands Hillsborough Holmes Jefferson Lafayette Lake Leon Levy Madison Marion Miami-Dade Nassau Okeechobee Orange Osceola Palm Beach Polk St. Lucie Sumter Suwannee Washington Counties with a proportion of 6.56%–9.55% are: Brevard Charlotte Citrus Collier Hernando Indian River Lee Manatee Martin Monroe Okaloosa Pasco Pinellas Santa Rosa Seminole Volusia Counties with a proportion of 9.56%–14.7% are: Flagler Sarasota St. Johns Walton

Unvaccinated children are at increased risk of vaccine-preventable diseases like measles, pertussis, and varicella. Communities with a higher proportion of religious exemptions (REs) to vaccination are at increased risk of vaccine-preventable disease transmission.

The proportion of children age 5–17 years with new REs are increasing each month. Statewide, the estimated prevalence of REs among children age 5–17 years old is 6.14% with individual counties ranging from 1.53 – 14.7%.

The rate of religious exemptions is likely higher than the rate presented in this report. This is due to eligible persons with religious exemptions who have opted out of Florida SHOTS and persons who have had their religious exemptions processed outside of the Florida SHOTS system. The map above includes REs registered in Florida SHOTS through September 30, 2024.