AVE MARIA, Fla. (WSVN) — State health officials have confirmed additional cases of the measles in Florida as the number of cases of the highly contagious virus continues to spike in parts of the country. New cases of the virus were confirmed on multiple college campuses in Florida this week. In Gainesville, The University of Florida issued a campus-wide alert Thursday after two students were diagnosed with measles. The announcement comes days after at least 20 cases were reported in Collier County, all of which were linked to Ave Maria University. Health officials in the U.S., meanwhile, continue to track the spread and have issued warnings to both students and residents. Despite the rising number of cases, some officials claim vaccine mandates are not the solution, including Florida State Rep. Byron Donalds, a leading Republican candidate for governor. “If we’re going to talk about measles, mumps, and rubella, I think that’s something where the Legislature is really going to have to sit down and do their homework,” said Donalds. Outside of Florida, cases have begun to rise as well. Nearly 800 measles cases have been confirmed in South Carolina, which makes this the biggest outbreak in the U.S. since the disease was declared eliminated. “Any parent is concerned about a sickness or anything that’s viral,” said a woman Multiple cases in North Carolina, California and Washington State have all been linked to the South Carolina outbreak. “Measles is one of the most, if not the most, contagious virus we know of,” said Dr. Alan Melnick. The outbreak, similar to the one in Texas last year, is tied to a decline in vaccination rates. In South Carolina, some people in the hardest hit areas still refuse to take vaccines, while others believe mandates are needed. “That’s an individual decision, and it should be left to the individual,” said a man. “I do believe that immunizations for children should definitely be 100%,” said a woman. As guidance from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention now differs from most major medical groups, experts recommend that patients talk to their health care provider before making a decision on vaccines. “It does seem political, and that seems unfortunate. Talk to your doctor,” said Dr. Michael Burgess. For the two Florida universities, state health officials are conducting contact tracing for two classes where students may have been exposed, as they aim to pinpoint the root of the outbreak. Additional measles cases have been reported in Duval, St. Johns, Hillsborough and Manatee counties. ...read more read less