As measles cases rise across the United States, some colleges are facing unprecedented outbreaks on campus.
Blaise Carney, a senior at Ave Maria University, is speaking out after contracting a nasty case of measles, despite being vaccinated as a child, NBC affiliate WBBH reported Thursday.
“I didn’t eat for a week, and I lost 10 pounds in a week, just because my throat was so sore,” Carney told WBBH.
Measles, also known as rubeola, is a highly contagious viral infection that causes a high fever, distinctive rash, cough and other flu-like symptoms.
Carney was one of the first confirmed cases at the private Catholic college, outside Naples, Florida, where a measles outbreak broke out in January.
On Jan. 28, the university sent an email alerting students that measles had been detected on campus. Carney, who was fully vaccinated against measles as a child, immediately reached out.
“I said, I have all of these symptoms,” recalled Carney — including a sore throat, sniffles and a painful ear infection. He got a test, which came back positive for the measles virus.
“I just progressively got worse, until I was in the ER and had a full body rash with the measles,” Carney said.
At the hospital, Carney was given intravenous fluids and steroids and then sent back to his dorm, where he had to quarantine for 21 days, under the current guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Now, Carney is finally recovered and cleared to return to class. He told WBBH he isn’t sure where he contracted measles, but prior to getting sick, he had traveled to Texas, Colorado and Michigan over the holiday break.
As of Feb. 9, more than 50 students at Ave Maria University have contracted measles, WBBH reported.
An update on the Ave Maria University website points to the Florida Department of Health’s tally of measles cases in Collier County, where the school is located. There were at least 66 confirmed and probable cases between Jan. 1 and Feb. 14, 2026. While it’s not clear if all of these cases are related to the university, all of them are in people under 25, WBBH reported.
The New York Times reported that it’s the largest measles outbreak on a college campus in recent years.
Despite being fully vaccinated with the measles, mumps & rubella vaccine (MMR) as a child, Carney was a rare breakthrough case.
“My great grandma, she’s 95, she called me while I was at the height of my sickness, and I told her, I actually have the measles … She laughed, and she’s like, ‘Oh my gosh, you’re you’re so old to get measles!’” he said.
Two doses of the MMR vaccine are 97% effective at protecting against measles. It is possible but highly unlikely to get measles if you’ve been fully vaccinated.
Fortunately, breakthrough infections typically result in milder illness and fewer complications, TODAY.com previously reported. Vaccinated individuals who get measles have a lower viral load, so they’re less likely to spread the virus to others.
There are no confirmed cases of a healthy, fully vaccinated person dying from the measles, TODAY.com previously reported.
Now, Carney is now encouraging others to get vaccinated. “It might not protect you 100%, but it’s your best shot,” he said.
Adults who are unvaccinated should get two doses of MMR vaccine, at least 28 days apart, the CDC says. If you’re exposed to measles and aren’t sure if you’re vaccinated, you can get the MMR vaccine up to 72 hours after exposure to prevent a severe case.
Infections can lead to serious complications, such as pneumonia and encephalitis, and death.
Measles is one of the world’s most contagious viruses, and spreads easily between people through respiratory droplets.
After measles was eliminated in the U.S. in 2000, there has been a major resurgence in cases nationwide.
So far in 2026, there have been at least 982 cases of measles reported in 26 states, per the latest data from CDC — 94% of those infected were not vaccinated.
