U.S. Measles Cases Surge as Outbreaks Spread Nationwide

Atlanta, Georgia — Measles cases continue to rise sharply in the United States, with recent outbreaks reported in states like Texas and South Carolina. As of October 12, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed this year’s outbreak marks the highest annual case count recorded.

Dr. Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, warned that the actual number of cases may be significantly higher. He estimates closer to 5,000 cases, stating, “If you talk to people on the ground in Texas and other states, they all say the same thing — the numbers are much worse than reported. And it’s not done.”

In South Carolina, more than 150 unvaccinated school children are currently under quarantine after being exposed to the virus. State Department of Public Health officials confirmed a new case reported since September 25 but said there is no confirmation it links to the outbreak in neighboring Spartanburg County.

Dr. Linda Bell, South Carolina’s state epidemiologist, emphasized the urgency of vaccination following the announcement: “What this new case tells us is that there is active, unrecognized community transmission of measles occurring.”

Meanwhile, Arizona and southwestern Utah are also experiencing growing outbreaks, with Utah reporting 48 confirmed cases this year, nearly all unvaccinated individuals. Six of these cases required hospitalization, and wastewater testing indicated that the virus is spreading more widely than previously thought.

Additional cases have been reported in Minnesota, where a recent surge has raised local health officials’ alarm. Nationwide, the CDC noted 44 measles outbreaks across 41 states this year, defining an outbreak as three or more linked cases. The majority of those infected were unvaccinated, with 27% of cases occurring in children under 5 years old.

Measles remains one of the most contagious viruses known. An infected person can transmit the virus to 18 others, and its particles can linger in the air for up to two hours. Before the introduction of widespread vaccination, measles was common in childhood, resulting in 400 to 500 deaths annually in the U.S.

Although the disease was declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000, healthcare experts stress that vaccination rates must remain at 95% to protect communities against outbreaks. Unfortunately, vaccination rates have been declining across the nation, with some communities reporting kindergarten vaccination rates far below the national average.

Dr. Adam Ratner, a pediatric infectious disease specialist in New York City, believes public figures’ criticism of vaccines exacerbates this decline. “It’s no wonder that parents are confused and frightened,” said Ratner, who has documented the history of measles resurgence. He cautions, “If a measles case comes into a place with a low vaccination rate, it can really take off,” emphasizing that this trend is seen in areas affected by the Texas outbreak.