South Carolina Breaks Texas Measles Record With 789 Cases
South Carolina reports 789 measles cases and 557 people quarantined as officials warn U.S. elimination status may be at risk.
Overview
The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control reported 789 measles cases on Jan. 27, 2026, an increase of 89 since Jan. 23, 2026, and said 557 people are quarantined and 18 have been hospitalized, officials said.
The total surpasses Texas’s 2025 outbreak of 762 cases and, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data updated Jan. 22, 2026, contributes to a national surge that could jeopardize the United States' measles elimination status.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has provided $1.4 million to support South Carolina’s response, and CDC Principal Deputy Director Dr. Ralph Abraham said in a Jan. 20, 2026 briefing that loss of elimination status "would not really" be significant.
State officials said exposures occurred at 23 schools and eight public venues, with individual school quarantines ranging from 13 to 59 students, and reported that 769 of the 789 cases were unvaccinated, partially vaccinated or had undocumented vaccination status, a figure that other counts describe differently.
Health officials said they are running mobile vaccination clinics, conducting contact tracing and quarantines, and that investigators will present the Pan American Health Organization's review of U.S. elimination status at its April 2026 meeting while CDC updates remain incomplete.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources present this as straightforward public-health reporting: they foreground CDC guidance and infectious-disease experts, use measured, factual terms, provide risks, eligibility and contraindications, and include debunking of vaccine-autism claims. Editorial choices prioritize authoritative sources and actionable advice; direct quotes and statistics remain clearly labeled as source content.
Sources (7)
FAQ
South Carolina has reported 789 measles cases as of January 27, 2026, surpassing Texas's 2025 outbreak of 762 cases, making it the largest U.S. outbreak in nearly three decades.
557 people are quarantined, 20 are in isolation, and at least 18 have been hospitalized.
Of 789 cases, 695 are unvaccinated, 14 partially vaccinated, 20 fully vaccinated, and 60 unknown; exposures occurred at 23 schools (mostly private Christian academies in Spartanburg County) and eight public venues.
Officials are running mobile vaccination clinics, conducting contact tracing, enforcing quarantines until February 19, and the U.S. HHS provided $1.4 million in support.
As of January 22, 2026, there are 416 U.S. cases in 2026; the outbreak contributes to a surge that may jeopardize elimination status, with review planned for April 2026.
History
4 sources