South Carolina is in the midst of a measles outbreak that health officials say is now worse than last year’s outbreak in Texas. The state has reported more than 600 new cases in the past month. Nationwide, cases are up 20%.
Outbreaks in Arizona and Utah also show no signs of slowing. Measles is highly contagious, though vaccination can help prevent its spread.
“It’s a virus that can stay in the air for two hours after an infected person leaves the room, and one person can infect 16 to 18 others,” said Dr. Omer Awan, a Scripps News medical contributor.
Because the disease spreads so easily, even small drops in vaccination rates can dramatically increase case counts.
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“This is precisely why we have all these outbreaks — because vaccination rates are declining, not just in South Carolina or Utah, but throughout the United States,” Awan said.
Although the measles vaccine is routinely recommended for children, older adults who aren’t up to date are also at risk.
“Measles can infect elderly individuals, particularly those with chronic medical conditions or weakened immune systems,” Awan said.
Awan acknowledged growing skepticism about the benefits of vaccines but urged people to seek trusted medical advice. “Talk to your physician. Talk to your pediatrician. They understand the health of your child the best and will recommend vaccines as the best defense,” he said.
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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, measles can cause:
- Pneumonia
- Brain damage
- Blindness
- Deafness
- Diarrhea
- Premature birth or low-birthweight infants in unvaccinated pregnant women
- Loss of immunity to other deadly diseases
The World Health Organization says herd immunity against measles is achievable when 95% of a community is vaccinated. U.S. health officials estimate that 92.7% of kindergarten students were vaccinated last school year.
