A new update from the South Carolina Department of Health (SCDH) says the state's measles outbreak has grown by 5 cases, to 16 infections since July, including 12 cases that are part of an Upstate outbreak that has seen two schools send hundreds of unvaccinated kids home after exposure to the highly contagious virus.
The cases come as the US total climbs to 1,596 confirmed infections.
School exposure in South Carolina
"The five new cases are the result of individuals who were exposed in previously identified school settings and have been quarantining at home," an SCDH press release stated. "While the five cases may appear as a large increase, the successful early quarantining as a result of the identified exposure is a successful public health outcome that shows how mitigation efforts (quarantining if exposed) can make a huge difference in preventing community spread."
While the five cases may appear as a large increase, the successful early quarantining as a result of the identified exposure is a successful public health outcome.
South Carolina officials said all new case-patients were in quarantine before they contracted the disease, so no additional exposures occurred with these new cases. Currently the number of students quarantining at home is 139 following further investigations into potential exposures.
According to media reports, exposures were at two schools in Spartanburg County, Global Academy of South Carolina, and Fairforest Elementary School, which both have low vaccination rates among the student body. At the Global Academy of South Carolina, only 17% of students are up to date with measles vaccination.
US total climbs by 33
Meanwhile, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its measles page today. As of October 14, 2025, the nation has recorded 1,596 confirmed cases so far this year, 33 more than last week.
Eighty-six percent of cases have been part of 44 outbreaks recorded this year. Last year the country had 16 outbreaks involving 69% of the 285 cases seen in the United States.
Sixty-six percent of cases are in children and young adults 19 years and younger, and 92% of case-patients are unvaccinated or have unknown vaccine status. Four percent of patients have had just one dose of measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine, and 4% have had two doses.
In total, 197 (12%) of the 1,596 case-patients have been hospitalized, including 95 children ages 5 and under—6% of the total.
