South Carolina measles cases push US towards losing status

WASHINGTON – South Carolina’s measles cases are propelling the US’ outbreak into a second year, which threatens to end the nation’s claim to have eliminated the disease. 

South Carolina reported 88 new confirmed cases on Jan 20, bringing the total to 646 since the outbreak started in October. 

The latest numbers come on the one-year anniversary of the start of a Texas measles outbreak that infected more than 750 people,

killed two unvaccinated children

and helped drive US cases to a 34-year high. 

On Jan 16, the Pan American Health Organisation’s subcommittee on evaluating measles elimination status scheduled an emergency meeting in April to review the elimination status of Mexico and the US. 

Countries are deemed measles-free when they haven’t had an outbreak circulate for more than a year.

The US achieved its elimination status in 2000 following a widespread vaccination effort.

While it’s unclear whether the 2025 Texas strain is still circulating, the US could still lose its status if PAHO determines its current public health campaigns are not sufficient enough to keep the virus under control. 

The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention is currently working with all states to gather the genomic sequencing data to determine the chain of transmission ahead of the April 13 meeting, an agency official said on a call with reporters on Jan 20. 

The US currently maintains its elimination designation, CDC principal deputy director Ralph Abraham said on the call.

He said the CDC has not deployed help on the ground in South Carolina and the state has not requested additional assistance.

The US’ measles elimination designation is merely a label, but its loss would confirm that the virus has regained a dangerous foothold. 

The CDC in 2025 recorded 2,242 confirmed measles cases across 44 states.

The Texas outbreak spread to three other states and was declared over in August.

Months later, outbreaks in South Carolina and another on the border of Utah and Arizona broke out. 

In 2026, the US has reported 171 cases in nine states through Jan 13, mainly driven by South Carolina’s numbers.

On Jan 17, Clemson University reported its first measles case on its main campus. Anderson University has also reported a case. 

In total, 538 people in South Carolina are in quarantine after being exposed to the virus across multiple elementary, middle and high schools and grocery stores.

“We are nowhere close to where we would need to be to say this outbreak is over,” said infectious disease expert and former CDC official Demetre Daskalakis on a call with reporters on Jan 20.

Prior to when a vaccine became available in 1963, nearly every child contracted measles before turning 15, and the virus killed 400 to 500 Americans annually.

But vaccination rates across the US have been falling in recent years.

“It’s not just that we’ve largely eliminated measles,” said Dr Paul Offit, pediatrician and director of the Vaccine Education Centre at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. “We eliminated the memory of measles, so people just aren’t scared of it.” 

Measles is highly contagious and can lead to encephalitis and pneumonia.

The measles, mumps and rubella vaccine is 97 per cent effective after two doses. 

During the Texas outbreak, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr promoted unproven measles remedies like vitamin A and cod liver oil.

Local hospitals started seeing more kids with vitamin A toxicity after his comments. 

Misinformation is one of the biggest concerns for local health departments on the front lines of the outbreak, said Ms Chrissie Juliano, executive director of the Big Cities Health Coalition.

“The most important thing right now is for people to get vaccinated,” she said.

Mr Abraham also endorsed the measles, mumps and rubella shot, saying immunisation is still the primary prevention tool. 

“Secretary Kennedy and myself, we are saying publicly and do believe the MMR vaccine is a good vaccine to prevent the measles,” Mr Abraham said. BLOOMBERG