At a Glance
- 789 confirmed cases in South Carolina, surpassing the 2025 West Texas outbreak.
- 557 people quarantined for 21 days.
- More than 170 people in North Carolina linked to a school outbreak.
- Why it matters: The spread signals a national risk as measles threatens U.S. elimination status.
The Measles outbreak in South Carolina now totals 789 confirmed cases, the highest in the United States since the 2025 West Texas outbreak. The majority of infections are centered in Spartanburg County, where many people are unvaccinated or unaware of their status. New cases continue to rise, with 89 confirmed since Friday.
Current State of the Outbreak
Spartanburg County remains the epicenter, with cases largely among unvaccinated individuals. Health officials report that 557 people are in quarantine for 21 days. The outbreak began in late September and accelerated during the holidays.
Quarantine Measures
- 557 people quarantined statewide.
- 170+ people in Union County, North Carolina, linked to a case at Shining Light Baptist Academy.
- Over 23 schools in South Carolina have students in quarantine.
The quarantine orders stem from an unvaccinated child at Shining Light Baptist Academy who attended school while contagious. A Union County Public Health alert notes that only 60.1% of the school’s students are vaccinated against measles.
Spread Beyond South Carolina
By January, cases directly linked to South Carolina had appeared in California, North Carolina, and Washington. Ohio reported several probable cases.
| State | Linked Cases | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | 14 | Direct links to SC outbreak |
| Union County | 170+ | Connected to Shining Light Baptist Academy |
| California, Washington | 0 | Documented but not confirmed |
Dr. Zack Moore, North Carolina’s state epidemiologist, warned that low vaccination rates in the western part of the state and close proximity to SC pose a concern.
> “We know there’s a lot of back and forth travel, so that is certainly a concern,” Moore said during a Jan. 21 media briefing.
Public Health Response
Dr. Ralph Abraham, CDC
On Jan. 20, Dr. Ralph Abraham, the CDC’s new principal deputy director, downplayed the outbreak’s significance.
> “It’s just the cost of doing business, with our borders being somewhat porous,” Abraham said. “We have these communities that choose to be unvaccinated. That’s their personal freedom.”
He acknowledged that the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine is “effective,” but did not explicitly encourage vaccination in outbreak areas.
Dr. Deborah Greenhouse, Pediatrician
Dr. Greenhouse expressed sorrow over the situation.
> “I am very sad,” she said. “It emphasizes even more that we need to continue the work of trying to educate families in South Carolina and trying to get families to understand that the way we shut this down is by increasing our vaccination rates and by complying with isolation and quarantine.”
Dr. Greenhouse, Pediatrician
She added:
> “If you have schools that have very low vaccination rates, you essentially create a tinder box for measles, because it is so incredibly contagious.”
Vaccination Rates and Concerns
The outbreak highlights the danger of low vaccination rates. The school involved in the North Carolina spread has a vaccination rate of just 60.1%. In the broader U.S., the vast majority of measles patients-93%-are unvaccinated.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that in 2025, the U.S. recorded 2,255 measles cases, the most in any year since 1991. So far in January, 416 cases have been confirmed nationwide.
CDC and National Context
The U.S. teeters toward losing its measles elimination status, which could occur as soon as this fall if the virus is found to have circulated for a full year from a single source.
The CDC’s data show that the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine is highly effective, yet vaccine hesitancy and refusal continue to undermine public health efforts.
Takeaways
- The South Carolina outbreak now exceeds 789 cases, the highest in the U.S. in recent years.
- Quarantine orders affect more than 700 people across South Carolina and North Carolina.
- Low vaccination rates in schools create a high-risk environment for measles spread.
- Nationally, 93% of measles patients are unvaccinated, and the U.S. is close to losing its elimination status.
- Public health officials emphasize the need for increased vaccination and compliance with isolation protocols.
By addressing vaccine hesitancy and enforcing quarantine measures, health authorities aim to contain the outbreak and protect communities nationwide.
