Measles Cases Rise in South Carolina, Prompting Hospital Precautions
South Carolina health officials reported three new confirmed cases of measles in Spartanburg County today, bringing the statewide total for the year to 19 and the number of cases in the current outbreak to 15.
According to the South Carolina Department of Public Health, the new cases all involved close contacts of previously identified individuals who were already quarantining at home. Importantly, officials confirmed that none of the individuals were contagious while in a school setting, and no further exposures are believed to have occurred due to their prior quarantine. This outbreak underscores the importance of vaccination to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.
In response to the increasing number of cases, Prisma Health has implemented enhanced masking protocols across all emergency departments. The hospital now requires all individuals entering the Emergency Department to wear a mask until evaluated at triage, and those presenting with fever, rash, or respiratory symptoms will be asked to continue masking throughout their visit. Unvaccinated parents accompanying children with similar symptoms may also be required to wear a mask.
Dr. Anna Cathryn Burch, a pediatric infectious disease physician, emphasized that two doses of the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine provide lifelong immunity. She also noted that it takes approximately two weeks to develop antibodies after vaccination and warned that measles is “the easiest virus to spread on the planet,” with viral droplets remaining infectious in the air for up to two hours even after the infected person has left the room. You can learn more about measles prevention from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For information on vaccination rates in South Carolina, see the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control website.
Health officials continue to monitor the situation and urge residents to take preventative measures, including vaccination, to protect themselves and the community.
