"South Carolina's measles outbreak grew to nearly 1,000 cases last week, according to data from the state department of health. The outbreak, which began last October, was part of a wave of measles outbreaks across the country that began in 2025. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were 50 reported measles outbreaks last year, contributing to more than 2,200 confirmed cases and three deaths."
"The vast majority have been among unvaccinated people. The surge in cases is pushing the U.S. dangerously close to losing its measles-free status. A country having measles-free or measles elimination status doesn't mean that it has zero cases of measles but rather that it has not had continuous homegrown transmission of the virus lasting over 12 months."
"Canada lost its elimination status in 2025. Spain, Austria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, the U.K. and Uzbekistan all lost their measles-free status in January. A special meeting originally slated for April to determine if the U.S. would retain its elimination status has been pushed back to November."
South Carolina experienced a measles outbreak growing to nearly 1,000 cases as part of a broader 2025 wave affecting the United States. The CDC reported 50 measles outbreaks nationwide in 2025, resulting in over 2,200 confirmed cases and three deaths—the largest number since the U.S. achieved measles-free status in 2000. The vast majority of cases occurred among unvaccinated individuals. Currently, over 1,100 confirmed cases have been reported in 2025. This surge threatens the U.S. measles elimination status, prompting a special meeting originally scheduled for April to be postponed to November to determine if the country will retain its elimination designation. Multiple countries including Canada, Spain, Austria, the U.K., and others have already lost their measles-free status.
Read at www.scientificamerican.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]