At a Glance
- South Carolina’s measles outbreak doubled in seven to nine days, topping 558 total cases
- 200 people are actively infected; 531 contacts face 21-day quarantine
- Spartanburg County K-12 MMR rate is 90%, below the 95% threshold doctors say prevents spread
- Why it matters: Low vaccination rates and a 1-to-12 transmission ratio could fuel wider regional spread
South Carolina’s measles surge is accelerating fast. Since last fall the state has logged 558 lab-confirmed cases, with 124 added since Tuesday alone, according to state health officials.
Outbreak Speed Stuns Doctors
“Over the last seven to nine days, we’ve had upwards of over 200 new cases. That’s doubled just in the last week,” said Dr. Johnathon Elkes, emergency medicine physician at Prisma Health in Greenville. “We feel like we’re really kind of staring over the edge, knowing that this is about to get a lot worse.”
Prisma Health pediatric infectious-disease specialist Dr. Robin LaCroix said roughly 200 people are currently infectious. Each patient can spread the virus to about 12 others, in part because transmission starts four days before the tell-tale rash appears.
The South Carolina Health Department said 531 residents now sit in 21-day quarantine after exposure. Eight patients-adults and children-have needed hospital care for complications since the outbreak began; it is unclear how many remain hospitalized.
Vaccination Gaps Fuel Spread
Almost all reported patients are children and teens who were not immunized. The two-dose MMR series is 97% effective, yet uptake is short of the 95% community threshold experts say blocks circulation.
- Spartanburg County K-12 rate for 2024-25: 90%
- Neighboring Greenville County rate: 90.5%
Free shots drew little interest. Mobile units parked in Spartanburg on a recent Wednesday and Thursday vaccinated only 18 people-nine adults and nine kids-state officials told News Of Fort Worth.
Community Profile
Cameron R. Hayes reported that the outbreak centers on a Spartanburg community settled by Ukrainian immigrants who arrived in recent decades. Dr. Eliza Varadi, a South Carolina pediatrician originally from Russia, said many families carry vaccine hesitancy rooted in Soviet-era experiences. She routinely reassures parents that “these vaccines are safe” and “aren’t going to cause harm,” she said, describing her work as “a lot of re-educating.”
Farther south, in Columbia, demand has flipped. “I’ve been getting phone calls from families saying, ‘I want that vaccine, like, yesterday,'” said Dr. Deborah Greenhouse, Columbia pediatrician and past president of the South Carolina chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. During outbreaks, infants as young as six months can receive an early dose, though they still need the standard two shots later.
Exposure Alert
Health officials said an infectious person toured the South Carolina State Museum in Columbia on January 2. Nearly 1,000 visitors passed through that day, according to NBC affiliate WIS. Anyone unvaccinated and exposed must quarantine for 21 days, unless they receive a post-exposure shot within 72 hours, which can prevent illness and end the quarantine requirement.
Regional Reach
Cases tied to the South Carolina cluster have surfaced elsewhere:
- Ohio: at least three children
- North Carolina: eight cases since December; seven linked to South Carolina
- Washington: three children in Snohomish County who had 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,” he said. All three local patients are under age 10 and were not hospitalized.
Hospital Reality
Prisma Health declined to detail current inpatient symptoms. In general, “patients don’t get hospitalized if they have red spots,” said Dr. Helmut Albrecht, infectious-disease specialist at Prisma Health. “We have right now the largest outbreak in the U.S., and it’s going to get worse before it gets better.”
Dr. Deborah Greenhouse emphasized that official tallies lag behind reality. “The numbers that you see are actually an undercount,” she said. “Not everyone with measles is going to see a physician.”
Key Takeaways
- South Carolina’s measles count has doubled in a week; 558 cases are confirmed
- Vaccination rates in the outbreak zone sit at 90%, below the 95% shield level
- Free immunization clinics saw minimal traffic, while Columbia offices field urgent requests
- Quarantine affects 531 contacts, and regional spread has reached three additional states
