South Carolina measles outbreak grows to 120+ cases as holiday travel begins

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) — Measles cases are continuing to rise, something South Carolina could see worsen drastically as residents start to travel for the holidays.

South Carolina health officials confirmed 42 new measles cases in one week, bringing the total outbreak to 126 cases as the holiday travel season begins.

The South Carolina Department of Public Health reported new cases Friday. The outbreak has led to exposures at additional schools and placed 303 South Carolina residents in quarantine and 13 in isolation.

Virus poses travel risks

Officials said people are infectious four days before symptoms like fever and rash appear. Not only that, but the virus lingers long after the last sick person leaves the room.

“The infectivity is very high,” Dr. Taras Nebeluk, an infectious disease physician at Novant Health, said. “Measles can survive in the air or on surfaces for up to two hours after someone who has measles enters a room, enters an area. So, it’s very, very, very contagious and that’s really the concern.”

Nebeluk said as people travel, gather and even shop during the holidays, there is concern for hundreds or thousands of additional cases without proper precautions.

“The thing is, even things like holiday shopping, going to the mall, going to Walmart, going to things, you never know where you can get exposed. People can transmit it four days prior to showing symptoms. So, you could contract it from a completely asymptomatic individual at your church, at your school, at the mall,” Nebeluk said. “Being in a certain corner of the state doesn’t guarantee protection.”

Symptoms to watch for

With multiple respiratory viruses circulating during the season, Nebeluk outlined specific measles symptoms to identify.

“Right now, we have rhinovirus and the respiratory syncytial virus and flu, everything spreading during the season and with measles, it’s really the combination of fever, a body rash that sort of starts around the face and spreads to the rest of the body, runny nose, cough,” he said. “So really a combination of those things.”

Children most affected

Children aged 5 to 17 accounted for 86 cases. Doctors urged parents to stay alert as winter break begins.

The measles vaccine is 93% effective after one dose, jumping to 97% after two, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

While most cases are in the Upstate region right now, health officials warned the virus spreads easily through the air and can spread faster as people travel for the holidays.

Officials advised people feeling sick or seeing a rash to stay home and consider neighbors who might be immunocompromised.