Measles resurges in South Carolina

South Carolina’s measles outbreak grew to 997 cases by March 17, making it the state’s largest outbreak in decades and one of the biggest in the country. (dph.sc.gov) State health officials first announced eight cases in the Upstate on October 2, 2025. By March 3, 2026, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the outbreak had reached 990 cases, with most centered in Spartanburg County. (cdc.gov) The South Carolina Department of Public Health said 263 of the 997 cases were in children under 5, and 639 were in people ages 5 through 17. It said 932 patients were unvaccinated, 20 had one measles, mumps and rubella dose, 26 had the full two-dose series, and 19 had unknown status. (dph.sc.gov) Measles spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes, and the virus can stay in the air or on surfaces for up to two hours after that person leaves. South Carolina health officials say as many as 9 in 10 unvaccinated close contacts can get infected after exposure. (dph.sc.gov) Babies are exposed to the same air but usually do not get their first measles, mumps and rubella shot until 12 months. During outbreaks, South Carolina guidance allows some infants to get an early dose at 6 through 11 months, but younger babies still have to rely on other people being vaccinated. (dph.sc.gov) (pbs.org) Doctors told The Associated Press that infants can deteriorate quickly with measles, stopping eating and drinking and developing pneumonia or brain swelling. Columbia pediatrician Dr. Deborah Greenhouse said, “Babies become sitting ducks.” (pbs.org) The outbreak took hold in a county with lower school vaccination coverage than the state as a whole. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Spartanburg County’s measles, mumps and rubella coverage was 88.9%, compared with a statewide school average of 93.7%. (cdc.gov) (dph.sc.gov) The national backdrop has shifted too. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said 1,714 confirmed measles cases had been reported in the United States as of April 9, 2026, across 33 jurisdictions, with 94% tied to outbreaks. (cdc.gov) South Carolina lawmakers have argued over whether to tighten or loosen vaccine rules while the outbreak has unfolded. One Senate bill filed in 2026 would remove the religious exemption for the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine in public schools, while another proposal advanced by a Senate panel in March would prohibit vaccine mandates for children under 2, according to the statehouse website and the South Carolina Daily Gazette. (scstatehouse.gov) (scdailygazette.com) By April 7, Greenville Online reported no new South Carolina cases since March 17, and health officials were looking toward April 26 as the date the outbreak could be declared over if no additional infections appeared. For families with infants, that countdown has meant weeks of avoiding crowded stores, church nurseries and other indoor spaces where one contagious person can fill a room before anyone knows they are sick. (greenvilleonline.com) (pbs.org)