SC measles: 23 schools hit, over 550 quarantined as outbreak hits record

South Carolina is currently grappling with a severe measles outbreak that has surged to an alarming total of 789 confirmed cases. This figure surpasses the previous record set by Texas last year, which had 762 cases. The current situation poses a significant risk to the U.S.'s elimination status for measles, a designation that has been in place since 2000. The outbreak in South Carolina, which began in October, has escalated rapidly, particularly this month. The number of cases skyrocketed from 218 on December 28 to 789 by January 27, indicating a worrying trend. If this pace continues, 2026 could see an unprecedented number of measles cases, echoing the large-scale outbreak of 2,255 cases recorded in the U.S. in 1991. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there have been 416 confirmed measles cases nationwide since the start of the year, although this total has not been updated to reflect the latest figures from South Carolina, which reported 89 new cases just this Tuesday. Beyond South Carolina, additional cases have emerged in states including Arizona, California, Florida, and Virginia, among others. Particularly concerning is the large outbreak occurring along the Utah-Arizona border, where a collective total of 457 cases have been reported. In light of these developments, health officials are urging vigilance as the threat of losing measles elimination status looms larger than ever.