Health officials in South Carolina have confirmed at least 88 new cases of measles, bringing the total number of cases in the state to 646 as of January 20, 2026. The CDC held a press conference about the crisis, saying that it is still “very active” and in a growth phase, with Spartanburg County in the Upstate region being the main focus.
Spartanburg County is the main hotspot, with cases linked to schools, universities like Clemson and Anderson, and public places like a Publix in Duncan and a Food Lion in Inman. There are more than 500 people in quarantine right now, including 538 people and 88 university students. The quarantine periods will last until the end of February. 563 out of 646 cases are in people who have not been vaccinated. This includes 155 children under the age of 5 and 419 children aged 5 to 17.
The CDC suggests giving two doses of the MMR vaccine. One dose is 93% effective, and two doses are 97% effective. Low vaccination rates are causing the rise. Officials say that 15 schools are still transmitting the virus and that holiday travel could expose people to it. They are telling people who have been in contact with someone who has it to watch for symptoms until early February. Linda Bell, the state epidemiologist, said the trend was “accelerating” and predicted that it would last for weeks or months without increased immunity.
