The Measles Outbreak In South Carolina: All You Need To Know
Everything We Know About The Measles Outbreak In South Carolina
South Carolina health officials are responding to a growing measles outbreak centered in the Upstate region, with 114 cases reported as of Dec. 10, 2025, according to the South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH). The first case in the current outbreak was recorded on July 9, and 111 cases are linked to Spartanburg County.
DPH confirmed the outbreak on Oct. 2, noting that an outbreak is defined as three or more cases linked to an everyday exposure. Officials say most of this year’s rise in measles cases remains concentrated in the Upstate, with most reported in Spartanburg County.
“We are faced with ongoing transmission that we anticipate will go on for many more weeks,” Dr. Linda Bell, state epidemiologist, said during a Wednesday news briefing, according to NBC News.
On Dec. 9 alone, 27 new cases were reported. Sixteen stemmed from a previously identified exposure at the Way of Truth Church in Inman; eight were household contacts of existing cases; one was linked to a school exposure; one came from a health care setting; and one had an unidentified source, the report shared Wednesday noted. There are 254 people in quarantine and 16 in isolation.
Bell described the increase as “significant,” pointing to holiday travel, gatherings, and low vaccination rates as contributing factors. Some recent cases are linked to travel or known exposures, but others have no identified source, suggesting that a measles outbreak is actively circulating in the community.
“We have seen measles spread quickly in unvaccinated households here in South Carolina. We also know that it can spread quickly in unvaccinated communities based on outbreaks in other states,” DPH said in a Dec. 10 press release.
The department will continue posting updates twice a week, on Tuesdays and Fridays at noon, though officials say the schedule may change depending on disease activity.
What to Know About Measles
Measles (rubeola) is a highly contagious respiratory disease that can cause severe complications, including pneumonia, seizures, brain damage, and, in extreme cases, death. Symptoms typically begin 7–12 days after exposure and include cough, runny nose, red watery eyes, and fever, followed by a rash that spreads from the face to the rest of the body.
A person is contagious four days before and after the rash appears, and the virus can linger in the air for up to two hours after an infected person leaves. That means people with even mild symptoms can spread measles before they know they have the disease.
The measles vaccine (MMR or MMRV) remains the most effective protection.
“We remind people that measles is highly contagious and can cause serious illness resulting in hospitalizations and complications. If anyone who may have been exposed develops measles symptoms, immediately call your doctor and let them know about the exposure and symptoms so that they can tell you what to do next,” DPH said Wednesday.
Vaccination Efforts and School Impact
Bell said mobile health clinics were deployed to provide MMR shots, but turnout was low. “I can tell you that a relatively small number of doses was administered at each of the mobile health unit clinics that we offered,” she said.
Bell explained that the 254 South Carolina residents who may have been exposed to the disease are under a 3-week quarantine. Because measles symptoms can take up to 21 days to appear, some unvaccinated students are now experiencing a second 21-day quarantine since the school year began. Bell did not have an exact number but said it was not a “significant proportion.”
According to DPH, 88.9% of South Carolina children aged 19–35 months have received at least one MMR dose. For the 2023–24 school year, 92.1% of kindergarteners had received the two required doses, down from 95% in 2019–20.
Most people recover from a measles with rest, fluids, and fever-reducing medications, though hospitalization may be required for severe cases. There is no specific antiviral treatment.
Measles Nationwide
South Carolina’s outbreak mirrors the nationwide rise in cases. On Wednesday, the CDC reported 1,912 measles cases across the U.S. so far in 2025, with most occurring in unvaccinated children and teenagers. There have been three confirmed deaths reported this year.
Health officials stress that vaccination remains the most effective protection against the disease. We
On behalf of NewsOne, we hope you’ve learned everything you need to know about measles, and the measles outbreak happening now in South Carolina.
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