Measles outbreaks are increasing along the Utah-Arizona border and in South Carolina, leading to hundreds of individuals being placed in quarantine.
In South Carolina, health authorities identified 27 new cases of measles from Friday to Tuesday in the northwestern part of Spartanburg County. Over the past two months, 111 people have been infected with this vaccine-preventable virus.
Currently, more than 250 individuals, including students from various elementary, middle, and high schools in the area, are in quarantine—some for a second time since the outbreak began in October. The majority of recent cases are linked to exposures at the Way of Truth Church in Inman. State epidemiologist Dr. Linda Bell mentioned that church leaders have been “extremely helpful” in managing the situation.
“We’re dealing with an ongoing outbreak that we expect will last for several more weeks, at least here in our state,” Bell remarked.
The surge in infections has been noted in Arizona and Utah since August, with Mohave County, Arizona, reporting 172 cases while the Southwest Utah Department of Public Health has recorded 82 cases. The border towns of Colorado City in Arizona and Hildale in Utah are among the most affected.
This year, Utah has confirmed 115 measles cases, and Arizona has reported 176. Nearly 2,000 measles cases have been recorded in the United States, despite the virus being thought to be eradicated since 2000, largely due to routine childhood vaccinations.
Recently, Canada, along with broader health regions in the Americas, lost its designation indicating no ongoing local spread of the virus, raising concerns about the U.S. potentially following suit. For this to occur, measles must continue circulating for a year. Outbreaks in Texas, New Mexico, and Oklahoma, which began in January, have sickened nearly 900 individuals, marking the worst measles year in over three decades in the country.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, all but eight states have registered at least one measles case this year. The CDC has confirmed 47 outbreaks, a significant increase compared to 16 in 2024. Unfortunately, three individuals, including two schoolchildren from Texas, have lost their lives due to the virus.
The measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine is safe and effective, providing a 97% prevention rate after two doses. Most children in the U.S. are required to get vaccinated to attend school. However, there has been a decline in vaccination rates as more parents choose not to vaccinate or fail to adhere to the recommended schedule.
