South Carolina's measles outbreak continues to spread, with at least 99 new cases reported over the past few weeks. The total number of cases in the state has now reached 310, leaving 200 people in quarantine as health officials scramble to contain the outbreak.
According to Dr. Linda Bell, the state epidemiologist, a significant portion of those exposed to measles may not even be aware they should be quarantining themselves. "The number of those in quarantine does not reflect the number actually exposed," she cautioned. "An increasing number of public exposure sites are being identified with likely hundreds more people exposed who are not aware they should be in quarantine if they are not immune to measles."
Measles experts warn that one infected person can lead to up to 20 new infections among unvaccinated contacts, making the situation even more alarming. To mitigate this risk, healthcare providers and facilities have been advised by state health officials to exercise heightened awareness for measles cases, including rapid isolation of suspect cases in healthcare settings.
The growing outbreak in South Carolina comes as the US has seen its highest number of measles cases since 1992, with a record 2,144 cases reported last year. The nationwide trend is concerning, with nearly 50 outbreaks occurring across the country in 2024 alone - a stark contrast to just 16 in 2023 and four in 2022.
Furthermore, vaccination rates have been declining in recent years, with only 92.5% of kindergartners receiving the MMR vaccine during the 2024-2025 school year. This is lower than previous years' figures, which raises concerns about the effectiveness of vaccination efforts.
As the situation continues to unfold, health officials are urging everyone to take precautions and stay up-to-date on their vaccinations. With the measles outbreak showing no signs of slowing down, it's essential that individuals remain vigilant and work together to prevent further spread of this highly contagious disease.
According to Dr. Linda Bell, the state epidemiologist, a significant portion of those exposed to measles may not even be aware they should be quarantining themselves. "The number of those in quarantine does not reflect the number actually exposed," she cautioned. "An increasing number of public exposure sites are being identified with likely hundreds more people exposed who are not aware they should be in quarantine if they are not immune to measles."
Measles experts warn that one infected person can lead to up to 20 new infections among unvaccinated contacts, making the situation even more alarming. To mitigate this risk, healthcare providers and facilities have been advised by state health officials to exercise heightened awareness for measles cases, including rapid isolation of suspect cases in healthcare settings.
The growing outbreak in South Carolina comes as the US has seen its highest number of measles cases since 1992, with a record 2,144 cases reported last year. The nationwide trend is concerning, with nearly 50 outbreaks occurring across the country in 2024 alone - a stark contrast to just 16 in 2023 and four in 2022.
Furthermore, vaccination rates have been declining in recent years, with only 92.5% of kindergartners receiving the MMR vaccine during the 2024-2025 school year. This is lower than previous years' figures, which raises concerns about the effectiveness of vaccination efforts.
As the situation continues to unfold, health officials are urging everyone to take precautions and stay up-to-date on their vaccinations. With the measles outbreak showing no signs of slowing down, it's essential that individuals remain vigilant and work together to prevent further spread of this highly contagious disease.
! 310 cases in one state?! That's crazy talk. And to think they're not even keeping track of who's actually infected... like, hello quarantine people! You gotta know you're at risk if you got exposed. 
. I'm low-key freaked out about this whole thing, tbh 
.
We need to all look after each other and make sure everyone gets their shots! 
310 CASES AND COUNTING, WITH OVER 200 PEOPLE IN QUARANTINE?! THAT'S TERRIFYING! I FEEL LIKE WE'RE LIVING IN A SCIENCE FICTION MOVIE WHERE A SINGLE PERSON CAN SPREAD THE DISEASE TO SO MANY OTHERS! 
I THINK WE NEED TO TAKE THIS OUTBREAK SERIOUSLY AND MAKE SURE EVERYONE IS TAKING THE NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS! 
LET'S WORK TOGETHER TO STOP THE SPREAD OF MEASLES AND KEEP OUR COMMUNITIES SAFE!!! 
, can't believe we're having a massive measles outbreak in the US! 99 new cases in SC is crazy 
. And omg, those unvaccinated contacts can spread it so fast - like, one person can infect up to 20 others? 
. Let's all just look out for each other & stay vigilant! 
But seriously, how did we let it come back like this? I mean, we're basically living in the Dark Ages with these outbreaks still happening. And don't even get me started on those super low vaccination rates 
I get that measles is a serious issue and all, but have we really thought through this? I mean, we've got healthcare providers scrambling to isolate suspects, but what about the actual cause of the problem? Vaccination rates are declining... isn't that something we should be addressing? 
We can't just keep reacting to outbreaks after they happen. And honestly, 92.5% might not seem like a bad number, but when you look at it as a percentage of the whole population (or in this case, kindergartners), it's kinda concerning... what does that say about our healthcare system? 
It's crazy how quickly these outbreaks can spread and how many cases have gone unreported. The fact that we're seeing a record number of outbreaks across the country is just wild... 
. We need to take this seriously and get our vaccination rates back on track, 92.5% for kindergartners is low, even lower than some countries with better healthcare systems 
. We have to look at other countries that are doing well in terms of vaccination rates, like Japan or Australia, and learn from them 
. This outbreak in SC is a wake-up call for all of us to stay up-to-date on our vaccinations and be more aware of the risks 
We need to stay vigilant and make sure everyone gets vaccinated ASAP 
92.5% of kindergartners getting mmr vaccine is like super low rn... what's going on?! 
Like, I get it, parents want to make sure their little ones aren't getting hooked up with who-knows-what, but come on! This is a disease that can be avoided with one measly shot. And now we're facing an outbreak that's got us scrambling like crazy? Yeah, let's all just take a deep breath and try not to think about how we ended up here... 
as pets. Like, aren't they supposed to be exotic or something? Anyway, talking about the measles outbreak reminds me of how easily diseases can spread when people aren't careful... anyway, back to those terrapins – I wonder if they're a good idea as pets or just kinda weird 
Measles is still a big deal in the US 
And the fact that some people might not even know they were exposed and should be quarantined? That's just nuts 
. We need to get our vaccination rates back on track ASAP 
. I'm so tired of hearing about outbreaks in 2024-2025... it feels like we're taking two steps forward and one step back 
. Can't we just focus on getting vaccinated and keeping each other safe? 
I just saw this news about South Carolina's measles outbreak and I'm so frustrated! Like, how do we not know by now? We've had vaccines for like, what, 30 years? And we're still dealing with this stuff?