Updated: Feb. 27, 2026

Current Situation

On Oct. 2, 2025, DPH confirmed a measles outbreak in Upstate regions. DPH is actively responding to this outbreak. 

As of Feb. 27, 2026, DPH is reporting 985 cases of measles centered around Spartanburg County. The majority of cases are close contacts of known cases. However, the number of public exposure sites indicates that measles is circulating in the community increasing the risk of exposure and the risk of infection for those who are not immune due to vaccination or natural infection. 

Key Takeaways

• Measles is highly contagious:
  • A person is contagious four days before and after a rash begins, meaning someone can spread measles before they know they are infected.
  • The virus can linger in the air for up to two hours after an infected person leaves.
• The measles vaccine (MMR and MMRV) is the best way to protect yourself and others against measles. Use the DPH Recommendations for Measles Vaccination chart to understand if you need to be vaccinated or not. Learn more about the vaccine here.

Updates

We will post measles updates twice a week, at 1 p.m. on Tuesday and Friday. In time, this update frequency may change to more or less each week depending on disease activity.

Public Exposure Locations

DPH issues notifications when an investigation identifies a specific time frame during which someone with measles may have been present in a public setting. These settings can include businesses, restaurants, or other public attractions.

Important Points: 

• The risk of exposure is limited to the specific dates and times announced. Once that time frame has passed, the location is not an ongoing risk for measles exposure.
• Exposures occurred only when an infectious person was present during the defined time. The location itself is not a source of ongoing exposure.
• Businesses and locations identified are not responsible for a person with measles having been present.

People who were exposed, especially those without immunity through vaccination or previous disease, should monitor for symptoms.

This table is updated when additional exposures are identified. Last updated: Feb. 25, 2026

Mobile Health Unit (MHU) Vaccines

In response to the ongoing measles outbreak, the South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH) has activated its Mobile Health Unit to deploy to the following locations to offer measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine to unvaccinated individuals at no cost. NOTE: The MMR vaccine is given as a two-dose series; booster doses are generally not needed. Anyone seeking a second dose of the two-dose series should schedule an appointment with their health care provider, pharmacy or public health department. DPH provides an online adult vaccine locator to help find the one nearest you.

Locations:

• Tuesday, Mar. 3, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. - Grace Community Church, 570 Magnolia Street, Spartanburg

Media Briefings (2026)

• Feb. 25 Briefing
• Feb. 18 Briefing
• Feb. 11 Briefing
• Feb. 4 Briefing
• Jan. 28 Briefing
• Jan. 21 Briefing
• Jan. 14 Briefing
• Jan. 7 Briefing

News Releases (2026)

• FRIDAY MEASLES UPDATE: DPH Reports 6 New Measles Cases in Upstate, Bringing Outbreak total to 985; Additional School, Public Exposures Identified (Feb. 27)
• TUESDAY MEASLES UPDATE: DPH Reports 6 New Measles Cases, Bringing Outbreak total to 979, Additional Exposures (Feb. 24)
• FRIDAY MEASLES UPDATE: DPH Reports 11 New Measles Cases in Upstate, Bringing Outbreak total to 973; Additional School, Public Exposures Identified (Feb. 20)
• TUESDAY MEASLES UPDATE: DPH Reports 12 New Measles Cases, Bringing Outbreak total to 962; Additional School, Public Exposures (Feb. 17)
• FRIDAY MEASLES UPDATE: DPH Reports 17 New Measles Cases in Upstate, Bringing Outbreak total to 950, Additional Public Exposures (Feb. 13)
• TUESDAY MEASLES UPDATE: DPH Reports 13 New Measles Cases, Bringing Outbreak total to 933, Case in Lancaster County and Upstate School Exposures (Feb. 10)
• FRIDAY MEASLES UPDATE: DPH Reports 44 New Measles Cases in Upstate, Bringing Outbreak total to 920, Additional Public Exposures, and Vaccination Opportunities (Feb. 6)
• TUESDAY MEASLES UPDATE: DPH Reports 29 New Measles Cases, Bringing Outbreak total to 876; New Case in Pee Dee Region, Additional Public Exposures Identified (Feb. 3)
• FRIDAY MEASLES UPDATE: DPH Reports 58 New Measles Cases in Upstate, Bringing Outbreak total to 847, Additional School and Public Exposures (Jan. 30)
• TUESDAY MEASLES UPDATE: DPH Reports 89 New Measles Cases in Upstate, Bringing Outbreak total to 789, Additional School Exposures (Jan. 27)
• FRIDAY MEASLES UPDATE: DPH Reports 54 New Measles Cases in Upstate, Bringing Outbreak total to 700, Additional School and Public Exposure (Jan. 23)
• TUESDAY MEASLES UPDATE: DPH Reports 88 New Measles Cases in Upstate, Bringing Outbreak total to 646, Additional Exposures (Jan. 20)
• FRIDAY MEASLES UPDATE: DPH Reports 124 New Measles Cases in Upstate, Bringing Outbreak total to 558, Additional School and Public Exposures (Jan. 16)
• TUESDAY MEASLES UPDATE: DPH Reports 124 New Measles Cases in Upstate, New Public Exposures, and Upcoming Vaccination Opportunities (Jan. 13)
• FRIDAY MEASLES UPDATE: DPH Reports 99 New Measles Cases in Upstate, Bringing Outbreak total to 310 (Jan. 9)
• TUESDAY MEASLES UPDATE: DPH Reports 26 New Measles Cases in Upstate, Bringing Outbreak total to 211 (Jan. 6)
• DPH Measles Investigation Identifies Public Exposures at Three Locations (Jan. 3)
• FRIDAY MEASLES UPDATE: DPH Reports Nine New Measles Cases in Upstate, Bringing Outbreak total to 185 (Jan. 2)

About Measles

Measles symptoms to watch for typically begin 7-12 days (but up to 21 days) after exposure, and include cough, runny nose, and red watery eyes, and fever followed by a rash two to three days later that starts on the face then spreads to the rest of the body.

We remind people that measles is highly contagious and can cause serious illness resulting in hospitalizations and complications. If anyone who may have been exposed develops measles symptoms, immediately call your doctor and let them know about the exposure and symptoms so that they can tell you what to do next. 

Most people recover from measles completely on their own. For uncomplicated cases, bed rest, drinking plenty of fluids and over-the-counter medications to reduce the fever and headache may help make infected individuals more comfortable. For those who require hospitalization, supportive care is the only treatment. 

DPH’s measles page contains what people need to know about measles (e.g., video, educational materials), and frequently asked questions about symptoms, prevention, vaccination history, and DPH’s role in protecting South Carolina from measles.

Understanding South Carolina's Vaccination Rates Among School Children 

We still have vulnerable populations, both nationally and in South Carolina. The CDC reports that in 2025: the majority, 97%, of people who got measles were unvaccinated. Measles is still common in many parts of the world, including some countries in Europe, Asia, the Pacific and Africa. Travelers with measles continue to bring measles into the U.S. Measles can spread easily when it reaches a community where groups of people are unvaccinated. Based on the 2021 CDC NIS (National Immunization Survey) Child data, coverage rates in the 19- to 35-month-old survey indicate that 88.9% of these aged children in South Carolina have had at least one dose of MMR vaccine. In South Carolina, two doses of MMR vaccine are required for school entry for kindergarten through 12th grade. For the 2023-2024 school year, 92.1% of kindergarten students had two doses of MMR vaccine, down from 95% for the 2019-2020 school year.

• 45-Day Report of Schools with Required Immunization Certification, 2025-2026 School Year (pdf) (Revised Dec. 29, 2025)
• 45-Day Report of Schools with Required Immunization Certification, 2024-2025 School Year (pdf)
• School Vaccination Coverage and Exemption Data by County

U.S. Data

Find the latest numbers of confirmed U.S. measles cases. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) update this page weekly.

For Providers

• Measles in Pregnancy: Clinical Reference for Obstetric Providers (pdf)
• Postexposure Prophylaxis (PEP) for People Exposed to Measles Guide (pdf)
• Clinical Assessment Guide (pdf)
• Provider Guidance: Early MMR Vaccination for Infants (6–11 Months) During a Measles Outbreak (pdf)
• DPH Health Alert: Measles Outbreak in Upstate Region (pdf)

For the Public

• Measles Fact Sheet for Daycares (pdf)
• MMR Vaccine Safety and Effectiveness (pdf)