Measles outbreak in South Carolina risks irreversible brain damage

South Carolina health officials say the measles outbreak can cause irreversible neurological damage; the upstate cluster has 876 confirmed cases and at least 19 hospitalizations. Undetermined at this time.

Health officials in South Carolina report a measles outbreak centered in Spartanburg County and have warned it can cause irreversible neurological damage in children. The upstate cluster includes hundreds of confirmed cases and several people have required hospital care for serious complications. Officials named encephalitis and pneumonia among reported complications and noted the virus can linger in the air for up to two hours. Local health data also show a substantial increase in MMR vaccinations in January and a new case in the Pee Dee region that may indicate broader community spread. Known details: - 876 confirmed cases in the upstate outbreak, with at least 19 patients hospitalized for serious complications. - Officials reported measles encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) and pneumonia among complications. - 147 students are quarantined across 10 K-12 schools in the affected area. - Several exposed pregnant women received immune globulin because the MMR vaccine is not administered during pregnancy. - Spartanburg County recorded a 162% rise in MMR vaccinations in January compared with the previous year. Summary: The outbreak has resulted in multiple serious hospitalizations and localized increases in vaccination, and officials reported potential spread beyond the initial clusters. Undetermined at this time.