The United States is headed for another bad year of measles cases

Measles cases in The United States reached its goal Highest level In over 30 years in 2025, with 2,242 confirmed infections. A particular outbreak in West Texas that began in January of last year has been an important driver of those cases. Now, a wave of measles cases in South Carolina is on track to surpass the outbreak in West Texas, which could mean another year of high measles cases.

“I’m worried,” says Susan Klein, an infectious disease physician and professor of medicine at the University of Minnesota. “Based on the size of the current outbreak in South Carolina, I don’t think this bodes well for the current year.”

Across the country, vaccination levels in states have remained steady Declining in recent years. Combined with the Trump administration’s hostility toward vaccines, the United States is likely to see more measles outbreaks in the coming months and years.

The outbreak in South Carolina began last fall, when it was notified by the state Department of Health Eight cases of measles on October 2. An outbreak is defined as three or more cases associated with a common exposure. This number rose to 176 by the end of the year. As of January 20, the state has confirmed this 646 cases– Most of them are in the “upstate” area, the northwest corner of the state.

A measles outbreak in West Texas has resulted in 762 confirmed cases with 99 hospitalizations and two deaths among school-age children, both of whom were not vaccinated. It was an outbreak Officially announced in AugustSeven months after its start.

“We feel like we’re staring over the edge, and we know it’s about to get a lot worse,” Jonathan Elkes, MD, an emergency medicine physician at Prisma Health in Greenville, South Carolina, said on a Jan. 16 call with reporters.

Measles is highly contagious, and the virus can remain in the air for hours after a person sneezes or coughs. Initial symptoms usually include high temperature, cough, and runny nose. The characteristic rash does not appear until several days later. While most people recover from measles, The disease can be seriousespecially for infants and young children. The virus can damage the lungs and severely weaken the immune system, leaving people vulnerable to pneumonia and other illnesses for weeks to months. Pneumonia is the most common cause of measles-related death in children.

So far, 10 people in South Carolina have required hospitalization since the outbreak began there. This includes both adults and children. Cases have been identified at two college campuses, Clemson University and Anderson University, and a number of public exposure sites It continues to grow By the week. In addition to the 646 confirmed cases, another 538 people in the state may have been exposed to measles and have been asked to quarantine at home while they wait to see if they develop symptoms.

South Carolina state epidemiologist Linda Bell said during a news conference on January 21 that the state is currently seeing new cases in the double digits being identified every day.

“We may continue this for many more weeks for sure, and perhaps even more months, if we do not see a change in protective behaviours,” she said.

There is no antiviral medication to treat measles. The best protection against the disease is vaccination with the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine. Of the 646 cases in South Carolina, 563 are unvaccinated, 12 have received one of two doses of the MMR vaccine, 13 have been vaccinated, and 58 have unknown vaccination status. The vaccine may not provide adequate protection for people with weakened immune systems.