The measles outbreak that surfaced in South Carolina earlier in October continues to escalate, with officials reporting 27 new cases since last Friday. This development pushes the outbreak's total to 111 cases.
South Carolina's measles spread now compares closely to those in Utah and Arizona, with 115 and 176 cases, respectively. These outbreaks jeopardize the U.S.'s measles elimination status, achieved in 2000 after successful vaccination efforts halted its continuous spread. Should the current transmission persist unaddressed, the country risks categorizing measles as an endemic disease once again if the virus circulates uninterrupted by January.
The South Carolina health department, in a Tuesday update, indicated the situation is far from contained. Of the 27 new cases in the state, 16 are connected to exposures at the Way of Truth Church in Inman. New exposures have also been identified at Inman Intermediate School, adding to those announced last Friday at four other regional schools, leading to over 100 student quarantines.
Currently, a total of 254 unvaccinated and exposed individuals are under quarantine, which includes 43 students from Inman Intermediate School.