The measles outbreak in South Carolina has been steadily increasing. As of January, 30, 2026, the state has confirmed 847 cases since the first case was reported in October 2025, making the outbreak bigger than the one in Texas, which started just over a year ago. Dr. Linda Bell, South Carolina’s state epidemiologist, points out that in Texas, measles cases grew over the course of seven months, while in South Carolina it has taken just 16 weeks to surpass the Texas case count. Also, on January 30, 2026 the state reported 58 new cases in a four-day period.
Similar to Texas, the vast majority of cases in South Carolina have been in children and teens who are unvaccinated.
This latest outbreak, as well as the speed at which it is spreading, is a sobering test of the United States’ ability to contain measles and comes as the Trump administration has taken multiple steps to undermine overall confidence in vaccines.
As a result, the U.S. is already in danger of losing its status as a country that has eliminated measles. In 2000, measles was declared eliminated from the U.S. because there had been no continuous domestic spread for more than 12 months. For more from NPR and Apple News, click here.