First SC measles case of 2025 reported on same day national case count hits landmark high

News that South Carolina has its first reported measles case of 2025 came on the same day that the national number of measles cases hit its highest level in more than 30 years. And there are still six months to go this year.

“We're really flirting with it no longer being something considered eliminated in the U.S.,” said Stephen Thacker, M.D. He’s an infectious diseases specialist at the MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital.

Eliminated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, means “the absence of the continuous spread of disease was greater than 12 months.” 

SC case

Not much has been revealed about the South Carolinian who has measles. The state Department of Public Health reports that the person:

• Lives in the Upstate.
• Is unvaccinated.
• Didn’t have immunity from a past measles infection.
• Was exposed to measles during an international trip.
• Was not contagious while traveling.
• Is isolating at home.

Thacker said that the case is not part of an outbreak in our state at this time. “But I think this case serves as a great reminder for everyone to make sure that they've protected themselves through vaccination, if they can safely receive it, to help prevent the spread.”

Bigger picture

Nationally, there have been about 1,300 reported measles cases so far in 2025. More than 750 have been in Texas, leading to the deaths of two children who were unvaccinated and didn’t have any known underlying health conditions. For comparison, there were 285 cases last year and 59 cases in 2023.

About 40 states have been affected. The CDC says 88% of all cases are part of outbreaks, which it defines as “three or more related cases.”

What’s going on?

Thacker said there’s been what he called a drift in the number of people who are fully vaccinated against measles. “When we talk about herd immunity for this virus, you're looking for a goal of about 95% of those individuals in your community who can receive the vaccine have received it.”

South Carolina has fallen below that level based on one key measure: the rate of vaccination in kids starting school. About 92% of kindergarteners had the required two doses of measles vaccination for the 2023-2024 school year, according to the state Department of Public Health. 

“This is reflective of the changing dynamic around how some communities perceive the value of vaccination against measles,” Thacker said.

The virus’ impact

Thacker said one factor in that changing dynamic is the lack of firsthand experience for many people. The measles vaccine became available in the U.S. in the early 1960s, causing the rate of measles to drop by about 99%.

But before the introduction of the vaccine, almost everyone had the measles when they were children. That tells you how contagious it is, Thacker said.

“It's spread through the air when someone coughs or sneezes and can linger around in the air for a couple hours even after that person's left the room.If I don't have adequate vaccination to protect myself, or perhaps I have a weakened immune system, there’s a high chance of infection. Upwards of 90% of folks not protected against measles will be infected if they get exposed.”

According to the CDC, measles symptoms include:

• High fever, possibly over 104 degrees.
• Cough.
• Runny nose.
• Red, watery eyes.
• Rash.

Common side effects from the measles vaccine include a sore arm from the shot, a fever, a mild rash and temporary joint pain. But getting vaccinated is “much safer than getting measles,” the CDC reports.

Thacker agreed. “I'd hate for us to have to go through a resurgence of a disease to be reminded of the harm that it can cause us, our families and our communities,” he said.