More than 150 unvaccinated schoolchildren in South Carolina have been quarantined for 21 days after being exposed to measles, as the United States faces its worst measles outbreak in 33 years. The affected students, from Global Academy of South Carolina and Fairforest Elementary in Spartanburg County, are required to stay home during the incubation period to prevent further spread. This follows a sharp rise in infections across several states, including Texas and New Mexico, where hundreds have fallen ill and three people have died. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the US has already recorded 1,563 confirmed cases this year, the highest number since the early 1990s.
The South Carolina Department of Public Health recently confirmed its eighth measles case in just two weeks, signalling active community transmission in the state’s Upstate region. Officials have urged residents to ensure their vaccinations are up to date, noting that the MMR vaccine which protects against measles, mumps, and rubella is 97% effective. Measles, a highly contagious disease, can lead to serious complications such as pneumonia, brain inflammation, and even death, particularly in unvaccinated children. Meanwhile, outbreaks have also been reported in Utah and Arizona, where cases continue to rise rapidly.
Beyond the US, the situation is deteriorating across North America and globally. Canada has reported more than 5,000 cases this year, three times the number seen in the US with major clusters in Alberta and Ontario. UNICEF reports that over 100 countries have experienced outbreaks in the past five years, underscoring a worldwide decline in vaccination coverage. Health officials attribute the US surge partly to misinformation and growing vaccine hesitancy, though public health experts stress that immunisation remains the strongest defence against a virus once declared eliminated in America.
