Measles Outbreaks on the Rise in the U.S.
Outbreaks of measles are occurring along the Utah-Arizona border and in South Carolina, leading to hundreds of individuals being quarantined.
From Friday to Tuesday, South Carolina officials reported 27 new measles cases around northwestern Spartanburg County. Over the past two months, a total of 111 people have contracted the virus, which can be prevented through vaccination.
Currently, more than 250 individuals, including students from nine local schools, are in quarantine—some for the second time since the outbreak started in October. Most of these new cases are linked to exposures at Way of Truth Church in Inman. State epidemiologist Dr. Linda Bell commented that church leaders have been very cooperative throughout this situation.
Dr. Bell noted, “We are experiencing ongoing transmission that we expect will continue for several more weeks in our state.”
In Arizona and Utah, an outbreak has escalated since August. Mohave County, Arizona, has reported 172 cases, while the Southwest Utah Public Health Department has seen 82 cases. The border towns of Colorado City, Arizona, and Hildale, Utah, are particularly affected. This year alone, Utah has confirmed 115 measles cases, while Arizona has seen 176.
Across the nation, the measles case count is approaching 2,000—worrisome since the disease was considered eliminated in the U.S. since 2000. The majority of cases are occurring among unvaccinated individuals.
Last month, Canada lost its designation of elimination status due to ongoing local spread of the virus, a situation that also affects the broader health region of the Americas.
Experts warn that the U.S. could similarly lose its elimination status if there’s continuous transmission for a year. An outbreak that began in January across Texas, New Mexico, and Oklahoma has already affected nearly 900 individuals, marking the most severe measles year in over 30 years.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), almost all states, with the exception of eight, have reported at least one case this year. The CDC has identified 47 outbreaks in 2023, significantly higher than the 16 outbreaks recorded in 2024. Tragically, three people, including two Texas school children, have died from the disease.
Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease professor at Vanderbilt Medical Center, stated in a recent interview that the primary reason for this outbreak is that parents are choosing not to vaccinate their children.
“Vaccination is incredibly effective,” he explained, adding that comprehensive vaccination efforts previously eliminated measles from the U.S. Now, he feels like “we are turning the clock back.”
The combined measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine is deemed safe, providing 97% protection against the disease after two doses, according to the CDC. Typically, vaccination is required for children to attend school. However, vaccination rates have dropped recently, as more parents are opting out or falling behind the recommended vaccination schedules.
In September, the CDC’s vaccine recommendation committee voted to recommend that the combined MMR and varicella vaccine be split for children under the age of 4. This decision follows a significant overhaul of the committee led by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Dr. Céline Gounder, a medical contributor for CBS News, pointed out that while the combined MMRV vaccine is convenient, it carries a slightly higher risk of febrile seizures in young children receiving it as their first dose. She noted that these seizures, though rare, can be alarming for families and may undermine trust in vaccinations.
Nonetheless, studies indicate no increased risk when the MMRV is administered as the second dose to children ages 4 to 6, after they have surpassed the high-risk age window.
