Ongoing Outbreak in South Carolina
South Carolina has reported a total of 310 measles cases in an outbreak that has persisted for several months, with 99 new cases confirmed between Tuesday and Friday.
The latest infections are primarily located in Spartanburg County, situated in the northern region of the state. The outbreak began in early October.
As of Friday, approximately 200 individuals who were exposed to the virus are currently under quarantine, while nine confirmed cases are isolated, according to the South Carolina Department of Public Health. The latest date for these quarantines to conclude is January 29.
The most recent public exposure incident occurred at Jesse S. Bobo Elementary School in Spartanburg, which is about 75 miles southwest of Charlotte, North Carolina. Health officials began informing faculty, staff, and families about the potential exposure on December 30.
Among the confirmed cases in this outbreak, 69 patients are under five years old, 206 are between five and seventeen years old, and 29 are adults aged eighteen or older. Six minors’ exact ages remain undisclosed.
The majority of those affected—256 individuals—are unvaccinated. Two people received one dose of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine; two others were fully vaccinated; and vaccination status remains unknown for the remaining 50 cases.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that one dose of the MMR vaccine is effective at preventing measles by 93%, while two doses increase effectiveness to 97%.
In terms of case numbers for 2025, South Carolina recorded the second-highest total at 224 cases, following Texas with 803 cases. The overall count for measles cases across the United States in that year reached 2,144.
