THE HILL – At least 254 people are in quarantine in South Carolina after the state confirmed more than two dozen new cases of measles over the weekend, according to local health officials.
As of Tuesday, the South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH) reported 27 new cases of the highly contagious disease since Friday, bringing the total number related to an outbreak in the Upstate region to 111. The vast majority of reported cases of the virus were in unvaccinated children.
The DPH confirmed that, of the 111 cases, 105 are unvaccinated and one is vaccinated. Another three are partially vaccinated — having received one of the recommended two-dose MMR sequence — while the vaccination status of two people with the disease is unknown.
The cases are also confirmed mostly in children: 75 of the cases are in children ages 5-17; 20 cases are in children under 5; and only 10 cases are in adults. Another six cases are in minors whose ages are undisclosed.
Most of the new cases, 16, come from people who previously reported exposure at the Way of Truth Church in Inman, SC … READ MORE [free to read].
MEASLES UPDATE: DPH Reports 27 New Measles Cases in Upstate, Bringing Outbreak total to 111, Additional School Exposures
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Dec. 9, 2025
COLUMBIA, S.C. ― The South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH) is reporting 27 new cases of measles in the state since Friday, bringing the total number of cases in South Carolina related to the Upstate outbreak to 111 and the total number reported to DPH this year to 114.
Sixteen of the new cases resulted from the previously reported exposure at the Way of Truth Church in Inman, eight of the cases are household members of known cases, one resulted from a previously reported school exposure, one was from an exposure in a health care setting, and the source of exposure is unknown for one of the cases.
There are currently 254 people in quarantine and 16 in isolation.
Based on the new cases, DPH has identified public exposures at Inman Intermediate School and began notifying potentially exposed students, faculty and staff on Dec. 4. There are currently 43 students in quarantine. Students from Inman Intermediate who quarantine successfully without becoming ill are scheduled to be able to return to classes Dec. 15.
DPH encourages those potentially exposed to notify a health care provider of the exposure before seeking care to allow arrangements to be made in clinical settings to protect others as clinical sites have also been settings of public exposures.
A person with measles is contagious from four days before the rash appears through four days after its onset, meaning people with mild symptoms can spread measles before they know they have the disease.
To help stop the spread of measles, it is very important for those who have even mild illness or are in quarantine to stay home to protect others. We encourage employers to support workers in following DPH recommendations to stay out of work while ill or in quarantine which also protects businesses, other workers and clients.
To stay up-to-date on the latest measles outbreak information, visit our dedicated webpage here.
Vaccination continues to be the best way to prevent measles and stop this outbreak. Vaccines are also available at many primary care provider offices and pharmacies, as well as DPH Health Departments.
Any community partners or organizations interested in scheduling a vaccination event from DPH’s Mobile Health Unit can request a visit to their location by completing this form on our website. DPH will prioritize requests for MMR vaccination events, if received, and will also take steps to increase appointment availability for MMR vaccination in health department locations, should demand dictate.
Outbreak Data Points
Age breakdown of 111 cases:
Under 5: 20
5-17: 75
18+: 10
Minors under 18 (age undisclosed): 6
Vaccination status:
105 unvaccinated, 3 partially vaccinated with one of the recommended two-dose MMR sequence, 1 vaccinated, 2 unknown.
