COLUMBIA, S.C. — The measles outbreak centered in Upstate South Carolina has intensified, with health officials confirming nine new cases on Friday and hundreds of students now in quarantine. The update comes as the contagious virus appears to have crossed state lines, with North Carolina reporting its first confirmed case linked to the regional spread.
On Friday, Dec. 19, the South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH) reported that the total number of cases in the Upstate outbreak has reached 144. This brings the statewide total for the year to 147.
Simultaneously, reports from WBTV indicate that the outbreak has breached the border, with North Carolina officials confirming their first case of measles on Friday. Health experts have warned for weeks that the high traffic between the Upstate and the Charlotte region made cross-state transmission a significant risk.
Community Spread and “Unknown” Sources
Of the nine new cases reported in South Carolina since Tuesday, DPH officials identified a concerning trend: the source of exposure for three of the patients is unknown. This suggests that “community spread” is occurring outside of known clusters like households or specific institutions…