Greenville, SC – Three additional cases of measles have been confirmed in South Carolina’s Upstate region, bringing the total number of cases linked to the current outbreak to 15, health officials announced today.
The newly reported cases all involve individuals who were already quarantining as close contacts of previously confirmed cases. Importantly, none of the individuals were contagious while present in any school setting, and officials state no further exposures are believed to have occurred due to thier pre-emptive isolation. This outbreak underscores the importance of vaccination and proactive public health measures to contain the highly contagious virus.
Measles is a highly contagious airborne disease that can cause severe health complications, especially in young children and individuals with weakened immune systems. While the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine provides lifelong immunity after two doses, the virus can remain infectious in the air for up to two hours after an infected person has left a room, making it exceptionally easy to spread.
In response to the growing outbreak, Prisma Health has implemented enhanced masking protocols across all its emergency departments. All individuals entering the Emergency Department are now required to wear a mask until evaluated at triage. Patients presenting with fever,rash,or respiratory symptoms,as well as unvaccinated parents accompanying children with these symptoms,will be asked to continue masking while inside any Prisma Health facility.
Dr. Anna Cathryn burch, a pediatric infectious disease physician, emphasized the effectiveness of the MMR vaccine. “If you have had two doses of the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine, then you have lifelong immunity,” she stated. It typically takes approximately two weeks after vaccination for the body to develop antibodies against the measles virus.
For more information on the outbreak, see previous coverage here: https://www.wyff4.com/article/south-carolina-measles-outbreak-2025-crunch-fitness/69032262.
