Measles cases surge in South Carolina as U.S. risks losing elimination status

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Measles Outbreak Spreads Across South Carolina, US at Risk of Losing Elimination Status

A rapidly growing measles outbreak in South Carolina has brought concerns to the forefront that the US may soon lose its elimination status. The state's Department of Public Health announced 88 new cases on Tuesday, bringing the total number of reported measles cases since October to 646.

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines a country as having eliminated measles if there are no locally transmitted infections or outbreaks lasting over 12 months. With the ongoing spread of measles in the US, many experts fear that this milestone may be slipping away.

The South Carolina outbreak is concentrated in Spartanburg County, with recent cases linked to multiple schools, a Publix supermarket, and the state museum. The majority of cases are occurring among under-vaccinated individuals within the close-knit community.

Measles is one of the most contagious infectious diseases, capable of causing severe infections that lead to hospitalization and death. Despite this, many areas in the US have seen declining vaccination rates for measles, leaving them vulnerable to outbreaks.

The US has reported over 2,240 cases of measles in 2025, the highest number in 30 years. Many of these cases were linked to an outbreak in West Texas. As of January 13th, there have been 171 reported measles cases nationwide in 2026, with more expected to be released soon.

Measles elimination status is a significant achievement for countries, indicating a healthy public health system capable of responding to infectious diseases. However, experts like Dr. Demetre Daskalakis are skeptical that the US will maintain its elimination status, which could pave the way for further outbreaks of previously eliminated or rare diseases.

Preventing the spread of measles requires vaccination and adherence to public health guidelines. One dose of the MMR vaccine is 93% effective against measles, with a complete two-dose series being 97% effective. Those experiencing symptoms should seek medical attention promptly. By taking these steps, individuals can help prevent further transmission of this highly contagious disease.

The situation highlights the importance of prioritizing public health measures and addressing declining vaccination rates to maintain elimination status. As Dr. Daskalakis noted, "If this is our vital sign, we're in the ICU... The future could be that we are going to be looking at measles becoming part of every day."
 
omg this is crazy 🤯 like seriously how can one state have so many cases?? its not just south carolina either, i saw some articles about texas having a big outbreak too 🤕 measles is a real deal and we gotta take precautions if we dont wanna lose our status 🚨 vaccination rates are getting lower and its only gonna get worse if we dont do something about it 💉
 
Ugh man 88 new cases in one week is crazy 🤯 what's going on with these schools and supermarkets not enforcing vaccination? I mean I get it people have concerns but come on a little common sense would go a long way... we need to get back on track here 97% effective vaccine is no joke 💉
 
I'm getting really worried about this measles outbreak in South Carolina 🤕. I mean, 646 cases since October? That's just crazy! And it's not like they're isolated cases, they're linked to schools and a supermarket... that's just breeding ground for germs 🤢. I know my kids are all up-to-date on their shots, but what about the other parents who might be lax about vaccination? It's so frustrating because I feel like we've made progress in getting rid of this disease in the US, but now it seems like we're taking a step backward.

I know Dr. Daskalakis is right, measles elimination status is a big deal and losing it would mean we're not doing enough to protect our communities. We need to get people vaccinated and take public health measures seriously. I'm just so tired of hearing about outbreaks and worrying about the safety of my kids... 🤯
 
Ugh, I'm literally shaking just thinking about how quickly measles has gone from being a rarity in the US to a full-blown crisis 🤢! 646 cases since October is insane and those numbers are only gonna keep rising if we don't get our act together. I mean, come on people, vaccination is not that hard, it's like 2 shots of the MMR vaccine and you're good to go 💉. And yet, here we are with cases popping up in schools, grocery stores, and even museums... what's going through these people's heads? 🤷‍♀️

And don't even get me started on how this is a huge warning sign that our public health system is failing us. We're talking about the US losing its elimination status here, which is like, super serious business 💥. If we can't keep measles under control, what's to say we won't lose control of other diseases? It's like, we should be celebrating our progress, not freaking out because we might not be doing enough 🎉.

I know some people might say "it's just a virus" but let me tell you, this is so much more than that. This is about human lives, it's about community, it's about taking care of each other 👫. And if we're not careful, measles could become the new normal and that's just not something I'm ready for 😱.
 
🤕 OMG, 646 cases in SC since Oct? That's crazy! 🚨 What's going on with all these under-vaccinated ppl? Can't they see how contagious this disease is? 🤢 I'm so worried about the US losing its elimination status. We need to step up our vaccination game ASAP! 💉 And it's not just SC, the whole country is struggling with measles cases. What's wrong with people? Don't they care about their own health and others'? 🙄 We can do better, we must do better! 😬
 
I'm telling you, this whole thing is a disaster waiting to happen 🤦‍♂️. You have these pockets of unvaccinated communities, and it's like they're creating a breeding ground for superbugs and other diseases. It's like we're taking two steps back when it comes to public health measures.

And what really gets my blood boiling is that it's not just about individual choice, it's about community responsibility. We need to have these laws in place that encourage vaccination rates to be high enough that we can say our country is safe from diseases like measles.

I mean, think about it, if the US loses its elimination status, what does that do to global health? It sets a precedent for countries that we thought were doing better. And let's not even get started on the economic implications of dealing with massive outbreaks.

We need leaders who can take bold action and make public health a priority. We need to invest in our healthcare systems, make sure everyone has access to vaccines, and hold communities accountable for their vaccination rates.

I'm not saying it's going to be easy, but we have to try. The future is looking bleaker by the day if we don't take this seriously 💔.
 
omg I was thinking about this in health class yesterday 🤔, like what if people start getting sick from something they can catch easily? and it's crazy how many cases there are already 646 in SC, that's like a whole school! 🏫 u think the gov would do anything to stop it? 🤷‍♀️ and yeah vaccinating is key, my mom always says u gotta protect urself from germs 💉 I'm lowkey worried about this too, what if we lose our elimination status? 🙈
 
the stats are pretty scary, 2k+ cases in one year is a big deal 🤯. what's more concerning though is that it's not just the numbers, but the fact that people are losing faith in vaccines and public health measures... it's like we're forgetting that one person can easily infect a crowd, so if we let our guard down even for a sec, we risk losing everything 💔. and yeah, measles elimination status is a big deal, but what does it really mean? is it just a checkbox on some report or does it actually reflect our commitment to public health? i think there's more to it than that... maybe we need to reevaluate what we're trying to eliminate altogether 🤔
 
This is getting outta hand 🤯! I mean, 646 cases already and it's still spreading like wildfire. And the scariest part? Most of those infected are under-vaccinated individuals in close-knit communities... what's going on with that?! Shouldn't we have better measures in place to track down outbreaks like this ASAP? 🤔 The US is basically a ticking time bomb if we don't get our vaccination game together. I'm all for public health measures, but it feels like we're just reacting after the fact instead of taking proactive steps to prevent these outbreaks from happening in the first place... sigh 😐
 
🤕😷 This is not a good sign for the US at all! Measles is a super contagious disease and it's spreading like crazy right now. I'm worried that they're gonna lose their elimination status and it could get out of control... 🚨 We need to get vaccinated ASAP if we wanna avoid this! The numbers are insane, 2,240 cases in 2025 alone? That's a lot of people who aren't protected. And it's not just the US, other countries can learn from this too. We gotta prioritize our public health and make sure everyone is on the same page when it comes to vaccination... 🤦‍♀️
 
🤕 it's crazy how a single outbreak can spread so fast 🚨. i mean, 646 cases already and it's only been since october... what's going on with vaccination rates in south carolina? 🤷‍♀️ shouldnt be this hard to get people vaccinated, especially with schools involved 📚👦. we need to step up public health measures, pronto! 💪 also, 171 cases nationwide already in january? that's not good at all 😬. measles elimination status is at risk... what does that even mean for us? 🤔 hopefully the US can get its act together before it's too late 🙏.
 
ugh, it's about time someone brought this up. I mean, 2k cases of measles already and it's only january? what's wrong with people these days? not even bothering to get vaccinated... i'm literally shaking thinking about how easy it is to catch this thing. we should've lost our elimination status years ago, tbh. and now experts are saying we might have to start all over again? it's a nightmare waiting to happen
 
🤢 171 reported cases in 2026 already? That's crazy! 🚨 Vaccination rates gotta step up in the US, ASAP. Can't let a super contagious disease like measles take over. 🌎 We need more awareness and education on why vaccinations are so important. 📚 It's not rocket science, folks. The WHO's definition of elimination is clear: no local transmissions for 12 months. Let's not mess this up! 💪
 
omg like whats happening w/ measles in SC?! 🤕 646 cases since october is straight fire 💥 and its not even over yet! how did this happen? i thought vaccines were the answer 🤷‍♀️ anyway, if us loses elimination status itll be a major deal for public health 🚨 gotta keep those vaccination rates up 👍
 
man oh man 646 cases in south carolina already? 🤯 that's crazy! i'm not a doctor or anything but it seems like us being super relaxed about vaccination is gonna catch up with us soon. measles is still super contagious and can be deadly if not treated on time... what's going through people's minds when they're not vaccinating their kids? 🤔 are we really that worried about side effects from vaccines now? 🤷‍♂️
 
I'm freaking out about this 😱! Measles outbreak in SC is super scary and I don't think the US can keep its elimination status. Like, what if it spreads to other states? We already had a big one in West Texas... 171 cases nationwide already in 2026? That's not good 🤕. And it's not just that, our vaccination rates are declining and it's getting harder to control the spread of diseases. I mean, we know how contagious measles is, like, it can be super easy to get infected if you're not careful 💉. We need to step up our public health measures and make sure everyone gets vaccinated 🚨. Losing elimination status would be a major setback for us. It's like, what's next? Would we have to deal with more diseases that we thought were under control? 🤔
 
OMG 🤯 is this still a thing in the US? Like, I get it, some people might not wanna get vaccinated or whatever, but 646 cases already? That's crazy! And with most cases being among under-vaccinated folks... it's like, what are we even doing? 😒

And can you believe we're at risk of losing our elimination status? Like, isn't that the whole point of getting vaccinated in the first place? 🤔 I mean, measles is super contagious and can be so bad... what if someone dies from it or something?

I guess it's good that people are talking about this and trying to figure out what's going on. But come on, US! Get your vaccination rates up already! 💪
 
🤔 This measles outbreak in South Carolina is getting me worried about the US losing its elimination status. With over 2,240 cases reported this year, it's clear that vaccination rates need a serious boost 📈. One dose of the MMR vaccine is already 93% effective, so what's holding people back? 🤷‍♀️ It's not like we haven't had outbreaks in the past - when did we stop prioritizing public health measures? 🚨 Let's focus on getting more people vaccinated and adhering to guidelines. We can't let a highly contagious disease like measles become part of everyday life 💉. The stats are alarming, but with some serious action, I think we can avoid losing our elimination status 🤞.
 
🤔 I'm not surprised to see a measles outbreak in the US after all the anti-vaxxer propaganda 🙄. I mean, it's like they said it would happen if everyone didn't get vaccinated 💉. The fact that we're seeing cases linked to multiple schools and communities just goes to show how easily this disease can spread. And what really gets me is that some experts think we might lose our elimination status 😱. That's not just a risk, that's a public health disaster 🚨. I need some solid data on the decline of vaccination rates in certain areas before I start worrying too much 📊. What's the source on this? 💡
 
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