Measles outbreaks worsen in South Carolina, Arizona and Utah

Measles outbreaks are intensifying in South Carolina and along the Utah-Arizona border, resulting in hundreds of people being quarantined.

In South Carolina, health officials have reported 27 new measles cases between Friday and Tuesday in the northwestern region around Spartanburg County. This brings the total number of people infected with the virus to 111 in the past two months. State epidemiologist Dr. Linda Bell acknowledged the ongoing transmission and expects it to continue for several more weeks. Over 250 individuals, including students from nine local schools (elementary, middle, and high schools), are under quarantine, some for the second time since the outbreak's start in October. A significant number of the new cases in South Carolina can be traced back to exposures at Way of Truth Church in Inman, whose leaders, according to Dr. Bell, have been very cooperative.

Arizona and Utah are also experiencing a large measles outbreak that began in August. Mohave County, Arizona, has reported 172 cases, while the Southwest Utah Public Health Department has reported 82. The neighboring cities of Colorado City, Arizona, and Hildale, Utah, have been particularly affected. Utah has confirmed a total of 115 measles cases this year, and Arizona has confirmed 176 cases.

Nationwide, the number of measles cases is approaching 2,000, a concerning figure for a disease considered eliminated in the U.S. since 2000. The majority of cases are occurring among unvaccinated individuals. Canada and the larger health region of the Americas lost their elimination status last month, which is defined as the absence of continuous local spread of the virus.

Experts warn that the U.S. is also at risk of losing its elimination status if measles spreads continuously for a year. The worst measles year in over three decades was triggered by a significant outbreak in Texas, New Mexico, and Oklahoma that began in January, sickening nearly 900 people. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), all but eight states have reported at least one measles case this year. The CDC has confirmed 47 outbreaks this year, compared to only 16 in 2024. Tragically, three people have died, including two school children in Texas.

Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease professor at Vanderbilt Medical Center, stated that the increase in outbreaks is due to parents choosing not to vaccinate their children. He added that comprehensive vaccination eliminated measles in the U.S., and the current situation is a step backwards.

The CDC states that the MMR vaccine is safe and provides 97% protection against measles after two doses. While most U.S. children are required to receive the MMR vaccine for school attendance, vaccination rates have been declining as more parents request waivers or delay vaccinations.

In September, the CDC's vaccine advisory committee recommended separating the combined measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella vaccine (MMRV) into separate MMR and varicella shots for children under 4. This decision by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices followed a complete overhaul in June by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who appointed several vaccine skeptics as new members.

CBS News medical contributor Dr. Céline Gounder explained that while the MMRV vaccine offers the convenience of a single shot, it carries a slightly higher risk of fever-related seizures in young toddlers aged 12-23 months, particularly between 14-18 months. While these seizures are rare and typically resolve without lasting effects, they can be alarming for families and potentially reduce trust in vaccines. Studies indicate that there is no increased risk when MMRV is administered as the second dose at ages 4 to 6 years, after children have passed the highest-risk age range, according to Gounder.