The measles outbreak in South Carolina has surpassed the outbreak in Texas that started and ended in 2025, state officials said on Jan. 27.
With 89 new cases in recent days, the outbreak in South Carolina has increased to 789 cases, including nearly 600 in the past month, the South Carolina Department of Health said.
More than 550 people are in quarantine due to possible exposure to measles, and 20 are in isolation after showing measles symptoms, according to the department.
The quarantined individuals include students from elementary, middle, and high schools, and new exposures have been identified at Dorman High School, Inman Intermediate School, and New Prospect Elementary School.
Measles is a contagious disease that primarily spreads through droplets from infected people. Symptoms typically manifest seven to 12 days following exposure. Symptoms include a runny nose and a rash.
Of the 789 people with confirmed cases in South Carolina, 18 have been hospitalized.
South Carolina officials are encouraging people to receive a measles vaccine.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention declined to comment.
The CDC and the Department of Health and Human Services have promoted vaccination, but also said that officials respect the choice of individuals who do not get vaccinated.
“Individuals should consult with their health care provider about what is best for them and their family,” a department spokesperson told The Epoch Times in an email on Jan. 15.
The outbreak in South Carolina started in September 2025. Dr. Linda Bell, South Carolina’s state epidemiologist, told reporters during a recent briefing that the outbreak’s trajectory, with double-digit cases per day, was very concerning.
“We may be in this for certainly weeks more and potentially months more if we don’t see a change in protective behaviors,” she said.
The outbreak in Texas began in early 2025 and continued through the summer. Officials confirmed 762 cases, including several that resulted in death. Local officials attributed the deaths to measles, while Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said the deceased had underlying conditions prior to contracting the disease.
The CDC said that as of Jan. 22, there have been 416 confirmed measles cases in the United States, with 14 states reporting cases.
In 2025, there were 2,255 confirmed measles cases, marking the highest total since 1991, according to the CDC.
The World Health Organization is considering revoking the measles-elimination status that the United States has had for decades. It has rescinded the status for Canada, Britain, Spain, and some other countries as measles spreads.