Over 150 Unvaccinated Students Quarantined in South Carolina Amid Measles Outbreak

South Carolina Schools Implement Measles Quarantine

More than 150 unvaccinated schoolchildren in Spartanburg County, South Carolina, have been placed under a 21-day quarantine following exposure to measles. The affected students attend Global Academy of South Carolina and Fairforest Elementary School. This measure was enacted by state officials to prevent further spread of the highly contagious virus within the community.

The quarantine mandates that these students miss in-person instruction during the period of potential disease transmission. The South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH) is actively investigating the outbreak, with some cases having no identified source, suggesting 'active, unrecognized community transmission' in the Upstate region, according to Dr. Linda Bell, state epidemiologist.

National Measles Cases Reach Decades-High Levels

The quarantine in South Carolina is part of a broader national concern as the United States has confirmed 1,563 measles cases this year, marking the highest annual total in over 30 years, specifically since 1992. South Carolina alone has reported 11 measles cases this year, with at least 8 cases linked to the current outbreak in the Upstate since late September.

Outbreaks have been documented across 44 states, with 92% of patients being unvaccinated or having an unknown vaccination status. This resurgence follows significant outbreaks in other states, including New Mexico and Texas, where hundreds were infected and three fatalities occurred.

Declining Vaccination Rates Fuel Resurgence

Health experts attribute the rise in measles cases to declining vaccination rates. Prior to the pandemic, over 95% of U.S. kindergarteners received the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine. This rate has since dropped to 92.5% in the most recent school year, leaving an estimated 286,000 kindergarteners without protection. In Spartanburg County, where the current quarantine is in effect, religious exemptions for vaccinations have reportedly increased over the past five years.

The MMR vaccine is highly effective, providing about 97% protection against measles after two doses. Public health officials continue to urge families to ensure their vaccinations are up to date to prevent further outbreaks.

Understanding Measles and Quarantine Protocols

Measles is a highly contagious respiratory virus that spreads easily through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. The virus can remain infectious in the air for up to two hours after the sick person has left a confined area. Symptoms typically appear 10 to 12 days after exposure and include a high fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes, and a characteristic rash that begins on the face and spreads to the rest of the body.

Individuals infected with measles are contagious for approximately eight days – four days before the rash appears and four days after its onset. Quarantine for exposed, unvaccinated individuals is a critical public health measure to contain the spread, as people can transmit the virus before showing symptoms.