How serious is this measles outbreak compared with typical U.S. measles activity?

This outbreak is one of the largest recent measles clusters in the U.S., contributing to a nationwide total of 2,144 cases last year, the highest since the early 1990s and far above the small, sporadic outbreaks usually seen in recent years.

Why is Spartanburg County at the center of the outbreak?

Spartanburg County is the epicenter because most of the 310 cases are located there and its school-age vaccination rate is around 90%, below the 95% coverage threshold generally needed to prevent sustained measles transmission.

Who is most at risk of getting measles in this outbreak?

People who are unvaccinated, incompletely vaccinated, or with unknown vaccination status are at highest risk; 99% of the outbreak’s cases fall into these groups, and up to 90% of susceptible close contacts can become infected after exposure.

How is the virus spreading beyond South Carolina?

Travel from the Spartanburg outbreak area has led to linked measles cases in at least North Carolina and Ohio, where infected individuals brought the virus back to their home communities after visiting the affected region.

What are health officials doing to control the outbreak?

Officials are isolating infected people, quarantining about 200 exposed contacts, identifying numerous public exposure sites, and strongly urging MMR vaccination to close immunity gaps and stop further spread.

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South Carolina Measles Outbreak Surges to 310 Cases, Spreads to Other States

South Carolina’s measles outbreak reached 310 cases after 99 new infections; health officials report quarantines, tracing, and spread to other states amid low vaccination pockets.

Overview

A summary of the key points of this story verified across multiple sources.

South Carolina reported 99 new measles cases since Tuesday, raising the statewide total to 310, with Spartanburg County the outbreak’s epicenter.

Authorities say about 200 people are in quarantine and nine in isolation; numerous public exposure sites complicate contact tracing and likely leave hundreds exposed.

Ninety-nine percent of cases are unvaccinated, partially vaccinated, or unknown; Spartanburg County’s 90% school vaccination rate is below the 95% threshold.

Measles spreads airborne, can linger two hours after an infected person leaves; unvaccinated contacts face up to 90% infection risk and serious complications.

Cases linked to the outbreak have appeared in North Carolina and Washington; nationwide 2025 measles cases reached 2,144, raising concerns about loss of elimination status.

Written using shared reports from

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Analysis

Compare how each side frames the story — including which facts they emphasize or leave out.

Center-leaning sources frame the outbreak as an urgent public-health emergency, using alarmed diction, elevated emphasis on health-officials and CDC data, and highlighting low local vaccination rates. They foreground contagion risks and consequences while excluding vaccine-hesitant perspectives, encouraging prevention and containment through vaccination and contact tracing.

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: This outbreak is one of the largest recent measles clusters in the U.S., contributing to a nationwide total of 2,144 cases last year, the highest since the early 1990s and far above the small, sporadic outbreaks usually seen in recent years.
Sources:
ABC News
: Spartanburg County is the epicenter because most of the 310 cases are located there and its school-age vaccination rate is around 90%, below the 95% coverage threshold generally needed to prevent sustained measles transmission.
Sources:
South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH)
: People who are unvaccinated, incompletely vaccinated, or with unknown vaccination status are at highest risk; 99% of the outbreak’s cases fall into these groups, and up to 90% of susceptible close contacts can become infected after exposure.
Sources:
South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH)
: Travel from the Spartanburg outbreak area has led to linked measles cases in at least North Carolina and Ohio, where infected individuals brought the virus back to their home communities after visiting the affected region.
Sources:
WUNC / NPR affiliate
: Officials are isolating infected people, quarantining about 200 exposed contacts, identifying numerous public exposure sites, and strongly urging MMR vaccination to close immunity gaps and stop further spread.
Sources:
South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH)