South Carolina measles outbreak reaches 789 cases, the largest U.S. surge since elimination
South Carolina’s measles outbreak has climbed to 789 confirmed cases, surpassing the size of Texas’s 2025 outbreak and raising concerns about the nation’s elimination status. Health officials say most cases are in Spartanburg County, and hospitalizations have been reported as quarantines expand across schools and communities.
A rapidly expanding outbreak
South Carolina’s measles outbreak has reached 789 confirmed cases, according to state data reported by major U.S. news outlets on January 28, 2026. The outbreak, centered largely in Spartanburg County in the state’s Upstate region, is now being described as the largest in the United States since measles was declared eliminated nationally more than two decades ago.
PBS NewsHour, citing the Associated Press, reported that nearly 600 new cases have been logged in just over a month and that the outbreak shows limited sign of slowing. The reporting adds that South Carolina’s case count has surpassed the recorded total from Texas’s major 2025 outbreak, which reached 762 cases before being declared over later that year.
Hospitalizations and spillover concerns
CBS News reported that 18 people have been hospitalized in the South Carolina outbreak and that most illnesses are concentrated in Spartanburg County. The same report said the state’s public health agency noted that the vast majority of cases involved people who were not fully vaccinated, with only a small number of patients reported as having received the full two-dose MMR vaccine.
The outbreak has also heightened concern about spread beyond state lines and about the U.S. measles elimination status. PBS NewsHour reported that the CDC had confirmed hundreds of measles cases nationwide so far in 2026 and warned that sustained transmission could threaten the elimination designation if outbreaks persist.
Why measles outbreaks can escalate quickly
Measles is highly contagious and can spread before a patient realizes they are infected, making quick identification and isolation difficult once community transmission takes hold. Public health responses often rely on vaccination campaigns, contact tracing, and quarantine recommendations for people exposed in schools, churches, and other crowded settings.
Health officials and clinicians have repeatedly warned that outbreaks tend to accelerate in under-vaccinated clusters. With the South Carolina outbreak continuing to expand, officials are emphasizing vaccination and monitoring for symptoms after exposure, particularly for children and others at higher risk of complications.