DPH Confirms State’s 11th Measles Case in Greenville County, eighth related to current outbreak in Upstate

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Oct. 9, 2025

The South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH) today is confirming the state’s 11th case of measles overall in South Carolina this year and eighth case since Sept. 25 related to the ongoing measles outbreak in the Upstate. The case is a child in Greenville County. At this point in the investigation it is not yet clear if this new case is linked to the seven cases that are part of the current outbreak in Spartanburg County. More details will be shared as they are confirmed on the agency’s measles outbreak page, and efforts to identify potential exposures and subsequent notifications, if necessary, are underway.

What this case tells us is that there is active, unrecognized community transmission of measles occurring in the Upstate, which makes it vital to ensure that the public have received their measles vaccinations.

A virtual-only statewide media briefing is scheduled for TODAY, Thursday, Oct. 9, at 1 p.m. to update the latest developments about the ongoing outbreak.

The initial symptoms of measles include fever, cough, red eyes and runny nose. These symptoms are followed by a rash beginning on the face then spreading to the rest of the body. The rash usually lasts five or six days.

The virus can be spread through the air when a person with measles breathes, coughs, or sneezes. Measles virus can remain infectious in the air in a confined area such as a room, hallway or vehicle for up to two hours after the sick person is gone from the area. People with measles should stay home from work and school and avoid contact with others as soon as they feel sick and for four days after their rash first appears.

It is also important for people without immunity to the virus who have had contact with a measles case to quarantine as instructed, because they may be unaware that a person who is not showing symptoms yet can spread the virus. Those infected with measles are contagious from four days before the rash begins through four days after its onset. People may be infected and contagious to others before they realize they are sick with measles.

The measles vaccine is over 97% effective at preventing infection. Children should receive two doses of measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine: the first at 12 to 15 months of age, and the second at 4 to 6 years of age. Children 6 to 12 months should get an early dose of MMR vaccine if they are traveling internationally or to an outbreak area.

For all ages, it is important to talk to your doctor to make sure you are protected against measles, especially if you are going to be traveling. Adults who were not vaccinated as children can still receive the vaccine. Most people born before 1957 were infected with measles during childhood and, therefore, are presumed to have protection via natural immunity, even if they have not been vaccinated.

Certain groups of people, including pregnant women and immunocompromised people, should not receive the MMR vaccine or should delay receiving it. DPH recommends and encourages people to speak with a health care provider to evaluate the risks and benefits of vaccination. For more information about measles, visit the DPH website or CDC website.

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