Measles outbreak intensifies in South Carolina
As measles cases surge in South Carolina, particularly in Spartanburg County, local health officials are grappling with a growing outbreak that has seen over 200 reported cases since October 2025, reports BritPanorama.
The Spartanburg region, located in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, has experienced falling vaccination rates, with the percentage of schoolchildren receiving required immunizations dropping from 95% to 90% in five years. Scott Thorpe, executive director of the Southern Alliance for Public Health Leadership, points out that parental hesitancy around vaccines has contributed to this decline. The consequences became evident when cases began appearing last fall, prompting the South Carolina health department to declare an outbreak.
Dr. Linda Bell, state epidemiologist, noted the complexity of tracing exposure as community transmission increases. “As community exposures increase, it’s becoming more and more difficult to actually pinpoint where all cases were exposed,” she said, stressing the difficulty in tracking cases, particularly after school holidays when connections to the community were severed.
Vaccination coverage for the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine in South Carolina is lower than the national average, with Spartanburg County among the lowest. Some previously hesitant parents are now seeking vaccinations for their children due to the heightened threat of measles, while others continue to resist despite the outbreak’s proximity. The public health response includes pop-up clinics and outreach efforts, which, according to officials, have yielded slow progress in increasing vaccination rates.
The outbreak has its origins in a Ukrainian immigrant community, where vaccine rates are particularly low. An analysis published by the Wilson Center in 2021 pointed to deeply rooted antivaccine attitudes in parts of Ukraine, attributing some of this sentiment to past government mismanagement of vaccination programs. The health department continues to identify exposure points within local congregations, schools, and public venues.
Despite the recall of unvaccinated individuals for quarantine following exposures, many remain noncompliant with vaccination recommendations. The state health department aims to increase MMR vaccination coverage to combat the outbreak, although challenges persist including overwhelmed health resources and a rising number of vaccination exemptions.
Thorpe emphasized broader access issues, noting that some communities grapple with healthcare difficulties that hinder vaccination efforts. “The relationship between a physician and a family is crucial, but if access is a struggle, that doesn’t help us,” he stated, reflecting on the intersection of healthcare access and vaccination coverage.
As 2025 closes, the US faces heightened measles cases, ending the year with a total of 2,144 confirmed cases — the highest since the early 1990s. The World Health Organization has taken notice, particularly as Canadian health authorities reported losing measles elimination status amid ongoing outbreaks. The outlook for the new year remains uncertain, with expert concern over continued community spread.
In a sign of the outbreak’s persistence, major airports noted exposures related to the holiday travel spikes, further complicating public health responses. As 2026 begins, South Carolina remains at the forefront of this public health challenge, with cases continuing to surface both locally and in neighbouring states.
