Health officials in South Carolina have quarantined more than 150 unvaccinated schoolchildren for three weeks after they were exposed to measles, as the United States faces its most severe outbreak of the disease in more than three decades.
The quarantines affect students from two Spartanburg County schools — the Global Academy of South Carolina and Fairforest Elementary — after potential exposure to a confirmed case. Because the affected children had not received measles vaccinations, they are required to stay home for 21 days, the full incubation period of the virus, to prevent further spread.
The South Carolina Department of Public Health confirmed its eighth measles case in just two weeks, with the most recent detected in nearby Greenville County. Officials warned that the cluster of infections signals “active and unrecognized community transmission,” urging residents to ensure they are vaccinated.
Measles is one of the most contagious viral diseases known to science. It spreads through coughing and sneezing and can remain airborne for hours. The illness can cause pneumonia, brain swelling, and even death. The MMR vaccine — which protects against measles, mumps, and rubella — is 97% effective when two doses are given.
The outbreak in South Carolina is part of a broader national resurgence. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the country has reported 1,563 cases this year — the highest total since the early 1990s. The majority of infections have occurred among unvaccinated individuals.