Measles outbreak in South Carolina worsens

More than 300 people in South Carolina have contracted measles, according to health officials in the state, and the vast majority are children. People who have been exposed to the virus, which can be deadly in children, have been asked to quarantine to try to stem the spread. Measles cases have also been reported in North Carolina. About 90% of South Carolina students are vaccinated against the virus, which is below the national average and well below the 95% that experts say is necessary to stop it from spreading to vulnerable populations. In the area of Spartanburg County, where most of the cases are concentrated, vaccination rates are even lower than the state average. The U.S. reported 2,100 cases of measles in 2025, the highest infection rates since 1991.