CDC Deploys to South Carolina Measles Outbreak
The CDC has deployed staff to South Carolina to contain a growing measles outbreak, with mobile health units and vaccination drives operating especially in Spartanburg County. Public health officials are urging families to check immunization records as the outbreak spreads. The response highlights ongoing concerns about vaccine-preventable diseases making comebacks.
The measles outbreak in South Carolina, which began in October 2025, has swelled to 990 confirmed cases as of March 3, 2026. The vast majority of these cases, 927, are centered in Spartanburg County. This marks the largest measles outbreak in the United States in over 30 years. State health officials report that 923 of the individuals infected were unvaccinated. Of the total cases, 21 have resulted in hospitalization. The majority of those infected are school-aged children, with 637 cases among those aged 5-17 and 260 cases in children under 5. This outbreak has put the United States' measles elimination status, declared in 2000, in jeopardy. The nation recorded 2,281 total cases in 2025, the highest number in three decades. The continuous circulation of the virus in South Carolina and other smaller outbreaks could lead to re-establishment of the disease. South Carolina's immunization rates for measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) in kindergarteners are below national levels. The state also has a higher-than-median rate of non-medical exemptions for childhood vaccinations. In some schools at the center of the outbreak in Spartanburg County, the vaccination rate is as low as 21%. The response to the outbreak has been significant, with the state of South Carolina spending an estimated $1.6 million so far, primarily on personnel. As of early March, 52 people were in quarantine with four in isolation to prevent further spread. Measles is highly contagious and can remain in the air for up to two hours after an infected person has left an area. The virus infects the respiratory tract and can lead to severe complications such as pneumonia, brain swelling, and death. Public health officials have identified numerous public exposure sites, including churches and stores, indicating community spread.
