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The state of South Carolina is on high alert as a measles outbreak, which began in early October, shows no signs of slowing. Officials reported 27 new confirmed cases on Tuesday following the weekend, bringing the total number of infections to 111.
This severe outbreak in the American South now rivals major hotspots in Utah and Arizona. This surge poses a direct threat to the measles elimination status the US achieved in 2000 through successful vaccination efforts. If the virus continues to transmit without interruption until January, measles could once again be classified as an endemic disease in the country.
Religious and School Gatherings Turn into Infection Hotspots
In an update released Tuesday, the South Carolina Department of Health indicated that the virus spread is far from contained. Out of the 27 new cases, 16 were linked to exposure at the Way of Truth Church in Inman.
These latest discoveries are in addition to previous exposures announced on Friday at four other schools in the region, which led to over a hundred students being quarantined.
Current Status:
254 unvaccinated and exposed individuals are currently under quarantine.
This includes 43 students from Inman Intermediate School.
The quarantine period for measles lasts 21 days from the date of exposure, which is the maximum incubation period before the tell-tale rash appears. Given that measles is highly contagious—infecting up to 90% of unvaccinated individuals upon exposure—isolation measures are essential to break the chain of transmission.
Declining Vaccination Rates Ring the Alarm
This outbreak is occurring specifically in the northern region of South Carolina, particularly in Spartanburg and Greenville Counties, two areas struggling with low vaccination rates.
For the 2024–2025 school year, student vaccination rates in Spartanburg reached only 90%, while Greenville hit 92.4%. These figures fall significantly below the minimum threshold required to halt community transmission, which is 95%.
More alarmingly, both counties show high rates of religious exemptions from vaccinations. Spartanburg County holds the state’s highest rate, with 8.2% of students requesting exemptions for religious beliefs, followed by Greenville at 5.3%.
herd immunity
A Look at Outbreak Figures and National Risks
Data from the 111 confirmed cases reveals a stark reality:
105 cases (the vast majority) were among unvaccinated individuals.
3 cases were in partially vaccinated individuals.
Only one case was in a fully vaccinated person.
On a national scale, the US is experiencing its highest number of measles cases in 33 years, recording nearly 2,000 cases and 46 outbreaks this year. Experts attribute this decline to the spread of vaccine misinformation, leading to a general drop in public confidence and overall vaccination rates.
