"The explosive measles outbreak in South Carolina has now reached 789 cases, breaking Texas's outbreak record last year of 762 cases, which at the time was the largest outbreak in the US since measles was declared eliminated from the US in 2000. The country is at grave risk of losing its elimination status in the coming months due to continuous spread."
"With Texas' outbreak last year-which spanned January to August and spread to additional states-the US saw the largest measles case total since 1991, with 2,255 confirmed cases. Now, with South Carolina's unbridled outbreak, 2026 is already looking like it will be another record year. Though South Carolina's outbreak began in October, the spread of the disease has dramatically accelerated this month, with cases jumping from 218 on December 28 to 789 on January 27."
"The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is reporting a national tally of 416 confirmed cases since the start of the year, but the total was last updated on January 22, missing the latest cases, including the 89 South Carolina cases reported Tuesday. In addition to South Carolina, measles cases for 2026 have been reported in Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Kentucky, Minnesota, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Utah, Virginia, and Washington."
An ongoing measles outbreak in South Carolina has reached 789 cases, surpassing last year's Texas record of 762 cases. The rapid increase from 218 cases on December 28 to 789 on January 27 indicates accelerated spread since October. Nationwide confirmed cases reported to the CDC totaled 416 as of January 22, but that tally omits more recent reports. Multiple other states report cases in 2026, including a large outbreak along the Utah-Arizona border. Collectively, affected states have reported 457 cases linked to the outbreak, including 66 reported in 2026. The surge places US measles elimination status at grave risk.
Read at Ars Technica
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