State health officials confirmed 27 new infections as the total number of measles cases rises above 100 since October.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Health authorities in South Carolina have quarantined more than 250 people after confirming 27 additional measles cases linked to exposures in schools, churches, homes, and a medical facility, according to a statement from the Department of Public Health.
Officials said the state has now recorded 111 confirmed infections since the outbreak began in early October. Sixteen of the latest cases stemmed from a previously identified exposure at the Way of Truth Church in Inman, while eight were household contacts of known patients. One case was tied to a school, another to a healthcare facility, and one remains under investigation.
“There are currently 254 people in quarantine and 16 in isolation,” the agency said. Forty-three quarantined individuals are students at Inman Intermediate School.
Among those infected, 105 were unvaccinated, three were partially vaccinated, one was fully vaccinated, and two have unknown vaccination status. Seventy-five patients are between the ages of 5 and 17.
Health officials urged those potentially exposed to alert their medical providers and remain at home to prevent further spread. “A person with measles is contagious from four days before the rash appears through four days after its onset,” the department stated, emphasizing that vaccination remains “the best way to prevent measles and stop this outbreak.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that once a person recovers from measles, they are generally protected from future infection through natural immunity.
The outbreak was confirmed by state officials in early October. Measles typically begins with a high fever, cough, runny nose, and watery eyes, followed days later by tiny white Koplik spots inside the mouth and a red rash that spreads from the face to the rest of the body, according to the CDC.
The agency warns that fevers may spike to 104 degrees Fahrenheit as the rash develops, and that patients can spread the virus before symptoms are fully visible.
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