Measles Outbreak Spreads from SC to North Carolina

A measles outbreak that has infected hundreds in Spartanburg County, South Carolina, since October has spread to neighboring North Carolina, where public health officials are warning of heightened risks in elementary schools with low vaccination rates. As of early January 2026, North Carolina has confirmed at least five cases linked to the South Carolina outbreak, including one in Polk County, three in Buncombe County and one in Rutherford County, with additional undetected infections likely. The virus was also detected in wastewater in Mecklenburg County, signaling potential community spread.

The South Carolina outbreak has affected more than 400 people, with cases confirmed in elementary, middle and high schools across Spartanburg County. Nearly half of the county's elementary schools began the school year with vaccination rates below the threshold needed to prevent outbreaks, according to state data. Public health officials there report at least 200 people in quarantine and nine in isolation as of mid-January. Unvaccinated children exposed to the virus are required to stay home from school for 21 days to limit transmission.

In North Carolina, the spillover comes amid...