Measles vaccines went up 174% among those under 4 years old in the Upstate

South Carolina is in the midst of the largest measles outbreak in the U.S. in 25 years, propelled a decline in vaccination rates large enough to allow the disease to spread.

There were 962 reported cases of measles in South Carolina as of Thursday. Those cases are almost entirely concentrated in the Upstate and Spartanburg County. Of those cases, 98% are among the unvaccinated.

But the tide is turning for the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) shot. In January, there was a 72% increase statewide in MMR vaccinations over the same month last year, and a 162% increase in Spartanburg County, the epicenter of the outbreak, according to data from the South Carolina Department of Health.

Shots are up across the board, including among young children. Here are four numbers that give a picture of measles vaccines in South Carolina and the Upstate right now.

Measles shots soar across South Carolina

Nearly 17,000 doses of the measles vaccine were given out across South Carolina this January, over 7,000 doses more than what was given in January 2025. About 43% of those shots were given in the Upstate.

More babies and toddlers are getting vaccinated

Of the 16,832 measles vaccine doses given this January, about 48% went to children under 4 years old. The number of children under 4 years old getting those shots is up 71% from last January statewide. In the Upstate, that number has increased by 174% from last January to Jan. 2026, according to Department of Health data. The Department of Health couldn’t provide an exact age breakdown.

Vaccinations have also risen among those 4 years old and above.

Upstate vaccinations rise each month since October

Vaccinations in the Upstate have been up year-over-year every month since at least October, as the outbreak has spread through schools and grocery stores.

Upstate measles shots were up 147% this January over last January.

Vaccine exemptions rise statewide and in the Midlands

Vaccination rates at South Carolina schools have fallen from 95.6% in the 2021-22 school year, to 93.7% in the 25-26 academic year.

In the Midlands, about 94% of the student body is fully vaccinated for a slate of required immunizations, according to state data. The number of students receiving exemptions to those requirements is also growing. More than 8,000 students representing over 3% of students in the Midlands currently have a religious exemption for vaccine requirements — that’s up from 1.6% or just under 4,000 students in the 2021-22 school year.

Medical vaccination exemptions for students in South Carolina have also gone up, most significantly in the Upstate and the Lowcountry. But for the Midlands, that figure has remained relatively steady, around .1% of students.

This story was originally published February 20, 2026 at 5:00 AM.

Morgan Hughes

The State

(803) 771-8330

Morgan Hughes covers Columbia news for The State. She previously reported on health, education and local governments in Wyoming. She has won awards in Wyoming and Wisconsin for feature writing and investigative journalism. Her work has also been recognized by the South Carolina Press Association.