South Carolina measles outbreak ‘accelerating’ with hundreds of unvaccinated students now in second 21-day quarantine

essentialsaltes · Dec 11, 2025

South Carolina health officials said mobile vaccination clinics have been deployed, but admitted that only a “small number of doses” were administered at the sites

As of Wednesday, there have been 111 reported measles cases in the northwest region of South Carolina, NBC News reports. The region includes Greenville and Spartanburg.

“We are faced with ongoing transmission that we anticipate will go on for many more weeks,” South Carolina Department of Public Health state epidemiologist Dr Linda Bell said during a Wednesday news briefing.

According to data compiled by NBC News, the K-12 vaccination rate for measles, mumps, and rubella in Spartanburg County was 90 percent for the 2024-2025 school year. While that number is high, doctors say at least a 95 percent vaccination rate is needed to stop outbreaks from occurring. Neighboring Greenville County's MMR vaccination rate was 90.5 percent.

In 2025, there have been 1,912 reported measles cases across the U.S. [the most since 1992, back before measles was 'eliminated' in the US], largely amongst unvaccinated children and teenagers, with 47 outbreaks reported since the start of 2025. That's nearly three times the number of outbreaks reported in 2024. Other hot spots outside of South Carolina include 176 reported cases in Arizona and 115 in Utah, according to state health officials.

essentialsaltes · Jan 10, 2026

South Carolina reports 99 new measles cases

At least 99 new measles cases are being reported in South Carolina amid the state's outbreak.

This brings the total number of cases in the state to 310. There are currently 200 people in quarantine, according to health officials.

The outbreak has been ongoing as state health officials continue to push for vaccinations. The majority of cases are located around Spartanburg County.

An estimated 93% of the [21st century record number of] cases last year were in those who were unvaccinated or had unknown status, CDC data shows.

Yttrium · Jan 10, 2026

Quarantine? In South Carolina? I'm shocked.

CRAZY_CAT_WOMAN · Jan 11, 2026

That's what happens when people fallen into anti-vaccination crowd. It makes things worse, when the United States Secretary of Health and Human services is anti vaccination crowd.

RileyG · Jan 11, 2026

Vaccinate! Vaccinate! Vaccinate!

essentialsaltes · Jan 13, 2026

essentialsaltes said:
This brings the total number of cases in the state to 310.

South Carolina reports 124 new measles cases as outbreak grows

Officials continue to push the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccination.

This brings the total number of cases in the outbreak to 434. There are currently over 400 people in quarantine.

Nearly 50 outbreaks occurred last year nationally, compared to 16 in 2024, and just four in 2023, CDC data shows. Almost 90% of cases were associated with outbreaks.

RileyG · Jan 13, 2026

essentialsaltes said:
South Carolina reports 124 new measles cases as outbreak grows
Officials continue to push the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccination.

This brings the total number of cases in the outbreak to 434. There are currently over 400 people in quarantine.

Nearly 50 outbreaks occurred last year nationally, compared to 16 in 2024, and just four in 2023, CDC data shows. Almost 90% of cases were associated with outbreaks.

I will reiterate. Vaccinate and trust the science. Protect yourself and others. Please!

SMH

Tuur · Wednesday at 5:08 AM

Yttrium said:
Quarantine? In South Carolina? I'm shocked.

Raises eyebrows.

People have already forgotten COVID quarantines?

Tuur · Wednesday at 5:29 AM

CRAZY_CAT_WOMAN said:
That's what happens when people fallen into anti-vaccination crowd. It makes things worse, when the United States Secretary of Health and Human services is anti vaccination crowd.

Oh? The OP stated 90% vaccinations. in Spartanburg County in the K-12 range. Current data from South Carolina Department of Health implies this is in the 19 to 35 month old range. It also states that two doses of the MMR vaccine are required for students to attend South Carolina public schools. 2021-2024 data shows 92.5% of SC kindergarten students vaccinated as compared to 95% in 2019-2020. There is also the admission that travelers with measles continue to bring it into the US.

Don't take my word for it; see 2025 Measles Outbreak | South Carolina Department of Public Health .

Again, note the requirement of two doses of the MMR vaccine to attend SC public schools. School memories from early 1960s in another state were that some classmates weren't vaccinated for smallpox until after they started school, and back then receiving the vaccine was a requirement to attend public school in that state. Thus the kindergarten vaccination rate in at least SC public schools is among students not vaccinated yet. That's not the same as they would never at some point receive two doses of the MMR vaccine. Again note the requirement for public school attendance in SC.

Doesn't quite make for political rhetoric, but there it is.

Yttrium · Wednesday at 9:26 AM

Tuur said:
Raises eyebrows.

People have already forgotten COVID quarantines?

I haven't forgotten all the resistance to them in red states.

Tuur · Wednesday at 9:43 PM

Yttrium said:
I haven't forgotten all the resistance to them in red states.

I haven't forgotten how the "mostly peaceful" protests were encouraged during the pandemic.

Hans Blaster · Wednesday at 9:53 PM

Tuur said:
Oh? The OP stated 90% vaccinations. in Spartanburg County in the K-12 range. Current data from South Carolina Department of Health implies this is in the 19 to 35 month old range. It also states that two doses of the MMR vaccine are required for students to attend South Carolina public schools. 2021-2024 data shows 92.5% of SC kindergarten students vaccinated as compared to 95% in 2019-2020. There is also the admission that travelers with measles continue to bring it into the US.

90% coverage is not sufficient to contain a measles outbreak.

Yttrium · Wednesday at 10:21 PM

Tuur said:
I haven't forgotten how the "mostly peaceful" protests were encouraged during the pandemic.

Neither have I.

loveofourlord · Thursday at 12:06 AM

got to love this, one of the nastier deadlier diseases running rampant, thats going to be a lot of lives screwed up.

Tuur · Thursday at 5:20 AM

Hans Blaster said:
90% coverage is not sufficient to contain a measles outbreak.

You're missing the big point: South Carolina schools require students to take the MMR vaccine in order to attend. That means that 90% shrinks to close to 100% during the first school year. I saw that with vaccinations when I went to school; because the smallpox vaccine leaves a distinctive scab that heals over, it was noticeable in short-sleeve weather. That's how I know some classmates only got the vaccine after school started. If the state looked at vaccination records at the time (and they likely did), those students would have been classified as unvaccinated for smallpox on the first day of school, but by the last day of school would have been classified as vaccinated.

If anyone wants to lament that 90% isn't a higher by the first day of school, so be it. But remember that smallpox was a much more deadly disease and I don't recall any opposition to the vaccination program. So it brings up the question of why they weren't vaccinated before the start of school, and that I don't remember any of my classmates discussing.

Stopped_lurking · Thursday at 6:48 AM

Tuur said:
You're missing the big point: South Carolina schools require students to take the MMR vaccine in order to attend. That means that 90% shrinks to close to 100% during the first school year. I saw that with vaccinations when I went to school; because the smallpox vaccine leaves a distinctive scab that heals over, it was noticeable in short-sleeve weather. That's how I know some classmates only got the vaccine after school started. If the state looked at vaccination records at the time (and they likely did), those students would have been classified as unvaccinated for smallpox on the first day of school, but by the last day of school would have been classified as vaccinated.

If anyone wants to lament that 90% isn't a higher by the first day of school, so be it. But remember that smallpox was a much more deadly disease and I don't recall any opposition to the vaccination program. So it brings up the question of why they weren't vaccinated before the start of school, and that I don't remember any of my classmates discussing.

Isn't it also a question about exemptions? If you include exemptions, the actual number of school kids vaccinated drops. In Spartanburg it was 8% non-medical exemptions if I read this article correctly.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/01/14/health/vaccine-exemptions-county-risk-measles-vis

Larniavc · Thursday at 7:04 AM

Tuur said:
92.5%

Not high enough. Measles was gone in the before times.

Now it’s back.

Larniavc · Thursday at 7:08 AM

loveofourlord said:
got to love this, one of the nastier deadlier diseases running rampant, thats going to be a lot of lives screwed up.

America seems an important lesson of a potentially amazing Nation constantly shooting itself in the foot.

It’s like a brilliant young person who has fallen into a cult that only offers, drugs, money, guns and magic.

Hans Blaster · Thursday at 9:57 AM

Tuur said:
You're missing the big point: South Carolina schools require students to take the MMR vaccine in order to attend. That means that 90% shrinks to close to 100% during the first school year.

Odd how the OP quoted article gives the MMR coverage at only 90% for all of K-12. If your "close to 100% during the first year" were correct the overall total for K-12. Also, vaccinations required for attendance are required *before* enrollment.

Tuur said:
I saw that with vaccinations when I went to school; because the smallpox vaccine leaves a distinctive scab that heals over, it was noticeable in short-sleeve weather. That's how I know some classmates only got the vaccine after school started. If the state looked at vaccination records at the time (and they likely did), those students would have been classified as unvaccinated for smallpox on the first day of school, but by the last day of school would have been classified as vaccinated.

If anyone wants to lament that 90% isn't a higher by the first day of school, so be it. But remember that smallpox was a much more deadly disease and I don't recall any opposition to the vaccination program. So it brings up the question of why they weren't vaccinated before the start of school, and that I don't remember any of my classmates discussing.

Why are you talking about smallpox? Small pox was eliminated and smallpox vaccinations in the US ended in the late 60s/early 70s. I never got that vaccine.

loveofourlord · Thursday at 11:35 AM

Larniavc said:
America seems an important lesson of a potentially amazing Nation constantly shooting itself in the foot.

It’s like a brilliant young person who has fallen into a cult that only offers, drugs, money, guns and magic.

that would be understandable, but in this one it's more like asparin, watergun, and a plastic wand that lights up.

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South Carolina measles outbreak ‘accelerating’ with hundreds of unvaccinated students now in second 21-day quarantine

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