Imagine a disease we thought we'd banished rearing its head once more, threatening not just health but a hard-won global achievement—measles is surging in South Carolina, and the U.S. might soon lose its measles-free status. But what's really fueling this outbreak, and could it be more than just a health crisis? Let's dive in to uncover the details and the debates surrounding it.
A sign advertising "measles testing" stands out against the backdrop of an outbreak in Gaines County, Texas, sparking fears of further spread across the state, as seen in Seminole, Texas, on February 25, 2025. (Photo: REUTERS/Sebastian Rocandio/File Photo; Licensing Rights: https://www.reutersconnect.com/item/us-cdc-reports-five-fold-increase-in-weekly-measles-cases-as-texas-outbreak-grows/dGFnOnJldXRlcnMuY29tLDIwMjU6bmV3c21sX1JDMlYxREEwVEs1QQ%3D%3D/?utmmedium=rcom-article-media&utmcampaign=rcom-rcp-lead)
Quick Overview
- The U.S. is at risk of losing its measles elimination status, a designation that recognizes a country's success in eradicating the disease.
- 303 individuals exposed to the virus are under quarantine, and 13 infected people are isolated to prevent further spread.
- Experts stress the need for a 95% vaccination rate to achieve herd immunity, where enough people are protected to shield the vulnerable.
December 12, 2025 (Reuters) – Health authorities in South Carolina reported an additional 15 measles cases on Friday, building on the total since Tuesday, as a growing outbreak of this preventable illness in the state's northwest region has now affected 126 individuals.
To contain the highly infectious virus, at least 303 people who may have been exposed are in quarantine, while 13 of those infected are isolated, according to the state's health department. (Sign up for updates here: https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/south-carolina-measles-cases-rise-126-amid-accelerating-outbreak-2025-12-12/undefined?location=article-paragraph&redirectUrl=%2Fbusiness%2Fhealthcare-pharmaceuticals%2Fsouth-carolina-measles-cases-rise-126-amid-accelerating-outbreak-2025-12-12%2F)
Thirteen of these latest cases stemmed from known household contacts, one from a neighborhood interaction, and the other from an unidentified source that's still under investigation.
Among the infected, 119 had no vaccination, three had only partial vaccination (meaning they received just one of the two recommended doses of the measles-mumps-rubella, or MMR, vaccine), one was fully vaccinated, and three had unclear vaccination records.
Medical experts across the U.S. are expressing heightened worry about the rise of vaccine-preventable diseases amid the tenure of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has long been an outspoken critic of vaccines.
This South Carolina outbreak, which state epidemiologist Linda Bell characterized as speeding up on Wednesday, occurs as the United States hangs by a thread to retain its measles elimination status.
But here's where it gets controversial: What if the outbreak isn't just about individual choices, but tied to leadership decisions in public health?
This year's outbreaks began with a massive one in West Texas, infecting over 700 people and spreading to multiple states. In reaction, Kennedy advanced dubious claims (see: https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/us-measles-battle-hindered-by-confusion-over-health-secretary-response-2025-04-09/) about alternatives like nutrition, vitamin A, and other unproven remedies.
Since then, he's amplified uncertainties about vaccine safety and effectiveness, going against well-established scientific evidence, and initiated an examination of the U.S. childhood immunization program after dismissing and swapping out independent vaccine advisors and the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (details: https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/us-cdc-chief-fired-after-weeks-role-challenges-ouster-four-top-officials-resign-2025-08-28/).
By December 9, the CDC documented 47 measles outbreaks and 1,912 confirmed cases nationwide this year, up from 16 outbreaks in 2024. The CDC classifies an outbreak as three or more linked cases.
The majority of these infections struck unvaccinated people, resulting in three fatalities, including two school-aged kids.
South Carolina mandates two MMR vaccine doses for school attendance, yet the state has experienced notable drops in vaccination rates following the COVID-19 pandemic.
For the 2023-2024 academic year, 92.1% of kindergarteners received both MMR doses, a decline from 95% in 2019-2020.
ELIMINATION STATUS UNDER THREAT
The World Health Organization (WHO) plans to announce in January whether the U.S. maintains its measles elimination status. To qualify as measles-free, a nation must halt viral transmission, avoid locally spread cases of the same virus strain for at least 12 months, and uphold robust monitoring systems.
In November, Canada forfeited its elimination status (read: https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/canada-has-lost-its-measles-elimination-status-says-ottawa-2025-11-10/) after nearly 30 years, unable to control a prolonged outbreak.
The U.S. faces a January 20 deadline to demonstrate it stopped ongoing transmission of the strain originating in Texas on that same date last year, as stated by Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, a former CDC official.
Measles is highly avoidable if nations reach 95% vaccination coverage—the threshold for herd immunity, which safeguards those who can't be vaccinated, like infants or immunocompromised individuals. The MMR vaccine boasts 97% effectiveness after two doses.
Dr. Emily Landon, an infectious diseases specialist at the University of Chicago Medicine, notes that most American adults are protected against measles, but growing vaccine hesitancy has weakened defenses among children in various communities.
"If your vaccination rate for young kids doesn't exceed 95%, you won't sustain measles elimination," she explains.
Measles manifests with symptoms including fever, coughing, and a distinctive rash, and it can trigger serious issues like pneumonia, brain inflammation (encephalitis), and even death. For beginners, think of it as a viral infection that spreads easily through the air when someone coughs or sneezes, and while it might start mildly, it can escalate quickly without vaccination.
And this is the part most people miss: Herd immunity isn't just a fancy term—it's like a community shield. For example, if 95% of people in a neighborhood are vaccinated, the virus struggles to find hosts, protecting everyone, including those who can't get the shot. But drop below that, and outbreaks like this one become inevitable.
Reporting by Julie Steenhuysen in Chicago; Additional reporting by Siddhi Mahatole and Sriparna Roy in Bengaluru; Editing by Alan Barona and Bill Berkrot.
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. (https://www.thomsonreuters.com/en/about-us/trust-principles.html)
What do you think? Is vaccine skepticism a personal freedom or a public health threat? Do you agree with Kennedy's approach, or should proven science guide policy? Share your views in the comments below—let's spark a conversation!
