The United States has recorded more than 1,900 measles cases this year as the South Carolina measles outbreak continues to expand, triggering widespread quarantines and renewed concerns about low vaccination rates, according to federal and state health officials.
South Carolina Cases Mount as Quarantines Expand
South Carolina has reported 111 measles cases since October, with more than 250 people in quarantine and 16 in isolation, state health officials said Wednesday. Most patients were unvaccinated, and dozens of new cases emerged in recent days after exposures at a church, schools and medical sites.
Dr. Linda Bell, the state epidemiologist, said some people are now quarantined for a second time due to repeated exposures tied to the South Carolina measles outbreak. “The maximum incubation period for measles is twenty-one days,” Bell said. “Vaccination continues to be the best way to prevent the disruption measles is causing to education, employment and everyday life.”
Bell said cases are accelerating, driven in part by holiday gatherings, travel and “lower than hoped for vaccination coverage.” She urged rapid increases in measles-mumps-rubella vaccination to curb spread in undervaccinated communities.
Health Officials Cite Low Vaccination Rates, Holiday Spread
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported eighty-four new cases nationwide in the past week, the highest weekly count since April. The agency said most infections this year have occurred among unvaccinated people.
“Measles is one of the most contagious viruses we monitor,” CDC spokesperson Dr. Amy Parker said. “When vaccination rates drop, even briefly, outbreaks can ignite quickly, especially in close-contact settings.”
The upstate region near Greenville remains the center of the South Carolina measles outbreak. Health officials said most infections trace back to known exposure sites, but each new case can lead to dozens of close contacts.
Nationwide Tally Nears 2,000 as Risk to Elimination Status Grows
Texas, once the largest outbreak site, has reported no new cases since officials declared its outbreak over in August. But cases continue to grow along the Arizona-Utah border. Arizona has recorded 176 infections this year, second only to Texas, while Utah has confirmed 115.
Federal data show the U.S. recorded nearly 1,300 measles cases between January and July the most in any year since measles was declared eliminated nationally twenty-five years ago. This year’s total has since climbed above 1,900. If outbreaks persist into January, the country could lose its elimination status, as Canada did in November.
The CDC has identified forty-seven outbreaks in 2025, nearly triple last year’s count. An outbreak is defined as three or more related cases. More than 200 people have been hospitalized this year, and three including two children have died.
Public-health experts warn that sustained transmission, including that fueling the South Carolina measles outbreak, will continue unless vaccination rates rise. “Two doses of the MMR vaccine provide ninety-seven percent protection,” Parker said. “Strong coverage is essential to protecting communities and preventing future deaths.”
Source:
https://edition.cnn.com/2025/12/10/health/measles-surge-us-south-carolina
