At a Glance
- South Carolina’s measles tally has jumped to 558 cases after 124 new lab-confirmed infections since Tuesday
- Roughly 200 people are believed actively infectious right now, with 531 close contacts under 21-day quarantine
- Eight patients-adults and children-have required hospital care since the fall outbreak began
- Why it matters: Vaccination rates in the hardest-hit counties sit at 90%, below the 95% threshold needed to curb rapid spread, and neighboring states are already reporting secondary cases
South Carolina’s measles surge has exploded, with case counts doubling in seven to nine days and health officials warning the worst is yet to come.
Case Count Accelerates
“Over the last seven to nine days, we’ve had upwards of over 200 new cases. That’s doubled just in the last week,” Dr. Johnathon Elkes, an emergency medicine physician at Prisma Health in Greenville, said during a Friday media briefing. “We feel like we’re really kind of staring over the edge, knowing that this is about to get a lot worse.”
The state health department on Friday reported 124 additional lab-confirmed cases since Tuesday, lifting the statewide total to 558 since the outbreak began last fall.
Dr. Robin LaCroix, Prisma Health pediatric infectious disease specialist, estimated that 200 individuals are currently infectious. Another 531 people are under 21-day quarantine after exposure.
Eight residents-children and adults-have been hospitalized for complications at some point during the outbreak, according to a department spokesperson. The current inpatient total was not disclosed.
Underestimated Spread
Because measles can transmit up to four days before symptoms appear, each patient can seed roughly 12 secondary infections, LaCroix noted.
“The numbers that you see are actually an undercount,” said Dr. Deborah Greenhouse, a Columbia pediatrician and past president of the South Carolina chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. “The reality is that there’s a lot more. Not everyone with measles is going to see a physician.”
Hospitalized patients are typically “critically ill,” added Dr. Helmut Albrecht, Prisma Health infectious disease specialist. “Patients don’t get hospitalized if they have red spots.”
Vaccination Gaps
Most patients are unvaccinated children and teenagers.
| County | MMR K-12 Rate (2024-25) | Herd-Immunity Threshold |
|---|---|---|
| Spartanburg | 90% | 95% |
| Greenville | 90.5% | 95% |
The measles-mumps-rubella vaccine is 97% effective after two doses, yet uptake remains below the 95% community protection benchmark.
Free Clinics Draw Sparse Crowds
State health officials dispatched mobile units to Spartanburg on Wednesday and Thursday offering no-cost shots. Only 18 people-nine adults and nine kids-received vaccinations, according to figures provided to News Of Losangeles.
Dr. Eliza Varadi, a South Carolina pediatrician originally from Russia, said many local families immigrated from Ukraine decades ago and retain Soviet-era vaccine skepticism. “I find myself constantly having to explain that, ‘yes, these vaccines are safe,’ and ‘no, they aren’t going to cause harm,'” she said.
Demand Surges Elsewhere
In Columbia, about 90 minutes south, parents are clamoring for early protection. “I’ve been getting phone calls from families saying, ‘I want that vaccine, like, yesterday. I want it early. What can do?,'” Greenhouse said.
During outbreaks, infants as young as six months may receive an extra early dose; they still need the standard two-dose series later.
Exposure Alert
Health officials announced that an infectious individual visited the South Carolina State Museum in Columbia on January 2, a day that drew nearly 1,000 visitors, according to WIS. Anyone unvaccinated and exposed would face a 21-day quarantine unless they receive a post-exposure shot within 72 hours.
“If we can identify that exposure within a short window, 72 hours, basically three days, we can give you an immunization, and your body will make its own defensive antibodies to protect you from this virus, and you can avoid quarantine,” LaCroix said.
Regional Ripple
Three additional states report cases tied to the South Carolina outbreak:
- Ohio: at least three children
- North Carolina: eight cases since December; seven linked to South Carolina
- Washington: three children in Snohomish County after holiday contact with a visiting South Carolina family
Snohomish County health officer Dr. James Lewis expects more diagnoses: “I really think there are cases out there in the community right now that are relatively mild, and people are managing at home.” The affected children there are all under 10 and none required hospitalization.
Key Takeaways
- South Carolina’s 558 cases constitute the nation’s largest active measles outbreak
- Vaccination rates in Spartanburg and Greenville counties sit at 90%, short of the 95% community-protection threshold
- Post-exposure vaccination within 72 hours can avert quarantine
- Health officials anticipate continued regional spread
