Measles Outbreaks Expected to Persist Beyond 2025 Amid Rising Cases in Utah, Arizona, and South Carolina

The ongoing measles outbreaks across the United States, which reached alarming levels in 2025, are projected to continue into the new year. Health officials are struggling to contain the spread, particularly in several states.

South Carolina is grappling with a significant outbreak, with 168 individuals, predominantly schoolchildren, currently under quarantine. The majority of the 138 confirmed cases in the state since September are concentrated in Spartanburg County, located in the northwestern region. Almost all those infected were unvaccinated.

Dr. Linda Bell, the state epidemiologist for the Department of Public Health, explained in a recent briefing that the identification of new cases triggers additional 21-day quarantine periods for susceptible contacts. This means unvaccinated individuals exposed to measles may face quarantine through the holiday season. Weekly news briefings are being held to keep the public informed.

Data from NBC News indicates that the K-12 vaccination rate for measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) in Spartanburg County was 90% for the 2024-25 school year. This falls short of the 95% threshold that medical experts deem necessary to prevent outbreaks. Dr. Bell noted a concerning trend of declining vaccination rates over the past several years, mirroring a pattern observed in other areas nationwide.

An NBC News investigation revealed that 67% of counties and jurisdictions collecting MMR vaccine data have immunization rates below the critical 95% level.

While the South Carolina outbreak is contained within the state, Dr. Bell stated that there is no indication that the virus is spreading to neighboring states like North Carolina.

Since the surge in measles cases that began in late summer, affecting areas in southwestern Utah and Arizona, and more recently South Carolina, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has maintained a relatively low public profile. The majority of public outreach concerning the nationwide outbreaks has been managed by local and state health departments.

This approach marks a significant departure from the agency's previous communication strategies for infectious diseases like measles. A recent study highlighted an "emerging health communication void" regarding measles and the measles vaccine on the CDC's social media platforms. The study found that the CDC posted about measles only 10 times on its social media channels between January and August, compared to an average of 46 times during the same period from 2021 to 2024.

Andrew Nixon, a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services, stated that the CDC has developed and distributed updated communication materials, including resources in multiple languages, to assist communities in responding to the ongoing outbreaks. The CDC only deploys teams to investigate infectious disease hotspots upon request from the affected states. Dr. Bell confirmed that the South Carolina Public Health Department has not requested additional assistance from the agency to manage the outbreak.

Meanwhile, the measles outbreak along the Arizona-Utah border continues to escalate. The Utah Department of Health and Human Services has reported 125 cases, with 21 new diagnoses in the past three weeks. Health officials have identified multiple measles exposure sites in southwestern Utah, including an elementary school, an urgent care facility, a pediatrician's office, and a pediatric dentistry.

The Arizona Department of Health Services reports 190 cases, predominantly in Mohave County, which borders Utah. A significant majority of these cases, 97%, involve individuals who were not vaccinated against the virus.

As of Wednesday, the CDC reported a total of 1,958 measles cases in the United States in 2025. This number is approaching the 1992 high of 2,216 cases. There have been 49 outbreaks reported, each defined as three or more related cases. Of the nearly two thousand cases, 11% required hospitalization. Three deaths have been attributed to measles: one adult in New Mexico and two young girls in Texas.