Third case of measles in South Carolina this year confirmed, officials say
A South Carolina resident recently tested positive for measles, making it the third confirmed case of the highly contagious virus this year in the Palmetto State, according to health officials.
An Upstate resident was the person confirmed to have measles in September, the South Carolina Department of Public Health said Monday in a news release.
Further information about the person’s condition, where they live in the Upstate and if they were hospitalized, was not available because the Department of Public Health said it’s limited by federal and state privacy restrictions.
Health officials were able to say that the infected person is currently isolating at home to prevent further spread of the virus.
Additionally, the person was unvaccinated and did not have immunity from a previous measles infection, according to the release.
While it’s not certain how the South Carolina resident became infected, health officials said the person did have a recent international trip to a country with an ongoing measles outbreak. Information about which country was visited, and when the trip happened was not available.
The person was not contagious while traveling, according to the release. The Department of Public Health said it has begun a contact investigation and is notifying people who might have been exposed.
Measles in South Carolina
In July, South Carolina had two confirmed cases of measles, Department of Public Health officials said.
The first case was reported, while the second case was identified later and was a known close contact of the first case, according to the release.
Both of those people isolated to prevent community spread of measles, health officials said.
The most recent instance of measles in South Carolina is not connected with either of the people who tested positive for the virus in July, according to the release.
There was one confirmed case of measles in South Carolina in 2024, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Nationwide outbreak
Across the U.S., there have been 1,431 cases of measles this year and three deaths caused by the virus, CDC data shows. Texas has reported the most cases of measles of any state, with 802 people testing positive, according to the CDC. The greatest number of measles cases reported so far in 2025 was between February and May.
This year’s escalating total of measles cases is a massive increase over the number of confirmed instances in the U.S. in 2024, when the CDC reported 285 people tested positive and there were no virus-related deaths.
There were a combined 242 confirmed measles case in the U.S. from 2020-2023, according to the CDC. In fact, 2019 is the only other year this millennium where more than 700 cases of measles were confirmed, as CDC data shows that 1,274 people tested positive that year as COVID-19 began to ravage the country.
From 1991-2000, there was one case of measles in South Carolina in 1997, which was the result of international travel, state health officials told The State. South Carolina had zero measles cases from 2000 onward until a small outbreak involving six cases occurred in 2018, according to the state Department of Public Health.
Understanding measles
“Measles is a highly contagious disease caused by a virus that affects the respiratory tract, and can result in serious complications affecting the brain, blood cells, complications in pregnancy, and long-term neurologic effects,” South Carolina epidemiologist and Health Programs Branch director Dr. Linda Bell said in the release. “This virus spreads quickly, which is why we must act now to prevent its spread.”
Measles can lead to hospitalization and even death, the South Carolina Department of Public Health said in the release. The initial symptoms of measles include fever, cough, and runny nose and are followed by a rash which usually lasts five or six days, according to the release.
The virus can be spread through the air when a person with measles breathes, coughs or sneezes, S.C. health officials said. Measles virus can remain infectious in the air for up to two hours after the sick person is gone from the area, according to the release.
People with measles should stay home from work or school for four days after their rash first appears, according to the South Carolina Department of Public Health. It is also important for people without immunity to the virus who are exposed to measles to quarantine as instructed, because a person who is infected with measles is contagious from four days before the rash begins through four days after its onset, according to the release.
Vaccination
“It is crucial that health care providers and the public be aware of the symptoms associated with this disease,” Bell said. “It is proven that the best way to prevent measles is by vaccination. I strongly encourage everyone to review their immunization records to make sure they are up to date on all vaccinations and to talk with their health care provider about the benefits and risks of getting vaccinated.”
While the Mayo Clinic said the vaccine can prevent measles infection, the South Carolina Department of Public Health issued a statement that said the vaccine is over 97% effective.
As of the 2023-2024 school year, about 92% of South Carolina residents had been vaccinated against the measles, according to the CDC.
Children should receive two doses of measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine: the first at 12 to 15 months of age, and the second at 4 to 6 years of age, according to the South Carolina Department of Public Health release. Children 6 to 12 months should get an early dose of MMR vaccine if they are traveling to a country where measles is common, South Carolina health officials said.
For all ages, it is important to talk to your doctor if you are going to be traveling to another country, according to South Carolina health officials. Most people born before 1957 were infected with measles during childhood and, therefore, are presumed to have protection via natural immunity, even if they have not been vaccinated, according to the release.
The South Carolina Department of Public Health said that certain groups of people, including pregnant women and immunocompromised people, should not receive the MMR vaccine or should delay receiving it. The South Carolina Department of Public Health recommends and encourages people to speak with their health care provider to evaluate the risks and benefits of vaccination.
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This story was originally published September 8, 2025 at 11:00 AM.
