Health department: no local measles outbreak; rabies caution and free screenings announced

Miss Paul of the Sim County Department of Health said measles is "a very highly contagious disease" and reported 1,567 U.S. cases so far in 2026 while noting there have been no measles outbreaks in Central Florida and no local cases. She said county residents should call health officials with concerns and promised monthly updates at the community meeting.

Miss Paul also warned that bat mating season has increased bat activity and that bats can carry rabies; she advised parents and children not to handle bats or other feral animals because rabies remains a deadly disease. She said the health department will hold a tuberculosis screening and resource day on March 31 at Rescue Outreach Mission and asked residents to pick up flyers posted at the center for details.

The health official announced a heart-health class starting April 2 at Westside Community Center focused on hypertension, nutrition and prevention strategies and invited residents to attend free sessions.

Separately, a representative from True Health said the organization's Gold clinic location is closed for several weeks for major plumbing repairs but that True Health operates other sites and can arrange transportation for patients in need of sliding-scale care.

Why it matters: The announcements clarified local disease risk (no local measles outbreak) and offered accessible preventive services and classes. Officials urged residents to report animal exposures and to use screening events provided by health partners.

No formal votes or policy changes were made during the health updates.