Updated: Oct. 24, 2025
Current Situation
DPH is actively responding to a measles outbreak in the Upstate region. As of Oct. 24, 2025, DPH is reporting 25 cases of measles since July 9, 22 centered around Spartanburg County in the current outbreak. To date, all confirmed cases have been in unvaccinated individuals.
On Oct. 2, 2025, DPH confirmed a measles outbreak in Upstate region. An outbreak is defined as three or more cases of the same infectious disease linked to a common exposure.
There has been a rise in measles cases in the Upstate this year, with most concentrated in Spartanburg County.
Some cases are travel-related exposures or close contacts of known cases. Other cases have no identified source, suggesting that measles is circulating in the community and could spread further. We have seen measles spread quickly in unvaccinated households here in South Carolina. We also know that it can spread quickly in unvaccinated communities based on outbreaks in other states.
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.
Updates
We will post measles updates twice a week, at noon on Tuesday and Friday. In time, this update frequency may change to more or less each week depending on disease activity.
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:
- Wednesday, Oct. 29: 2-6p.m. at Inman Library, 50 Mill St., Inman, SC 29349
- Thursday, Oct. 30: 2-6p.m. at Inman Library, 50 Mill St., Inman, SC 29349
- Monday, Nov. 3: 1-4 p.m. at Boiling Springs Library, 871 Double Bridge Rd., Boiling Springs, S.C. 29316
- Wednesday, Nov. 5: 1-4 p.m. Boiling Springs Library, 871 Double Bridge Rd., Boiling Springs, S.C. 29316
- Thursday, Nov. 6: 1-4 p.m. Boiling Springs Library, 871 Double Bridge Rd., Boiling Springs, S.C. 29316
Media Briefings
News Releases (2025)
- FRIDAY UPDATE: DPH Increases Measles Case Count to 25 total in 2025, 22 related to Upstate Outbreak (Oct. 24)
- TUESDAY MEASLES UPDATE: DPH Increases Measles Case Count by Four to 23 total in 2025, 20 now related to Upstate Outbreak (Oct. 21)
- FRIDAY UPDATE: DPH Increases Measles Case Count to 19 total in 2025, 15 related to Upstate Outbreak (Oct. 17)
- DPH Announces Locations of Mobile Measles Vaccination Unit in Spartanburg County (Oct. 15)
- TUESDAY MEASLES UPDATE: DPH Increases Measles Case Count to 16 total in 2025, 12 related to Upstate Outbreak (Oct. 14)
- DPH Confirms State’s 11th Measles Case in Greenville County, eighth related to current outbreak in Upstate (Oct. 9)
- MEASLES UPDATE: DPH Confirms locations of Spartanburg County Outbreak, Media Briefing to take Place Tomorrow (Thursday) (Oct. 8)
- DPH Confirms 9th and 10th Case of Measles in Spartanburg County, Launches Webpage to Update Public on Outbreak (Oct. 7)
- DPH Confirms Measles Outbreak in Upstate Region (Oct. 2)
- DPH Confirms Measles in Upstate Resident; Fourth Case of Measles in South Carolina in 2025 (Sept. 26)
- DPH Confirms Measles in Upstate Resident; Third Case of Measles in South Carolina in 2025 (Sept. 8)
- DPH Confirms Measles in Upstate Resident (July 9)
About Measles
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, 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.