South Carolina has reported 646 cases, with numbers rising quickly; most infections involve unvaccinated people<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
By I. Edwards HealthDay Reporter<\/b>
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WEDNESDAY, Jan. 21, 2026 (HealthDay News) \u2014 South Carolina\u2019s fast-growing measles<\/a> outbreak has now reached a major college campus, after health officials confirmed a case linked to Clemson University.<\/p>\n State health officials said a person affiliated with the university tested positive for the highly contagious virus, raising fears as the outbreak continues to spread across the state.<\/p>\n Clemson said the university was notified of the diagnosis by the South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH).<\/p>\n “The individual has isolated per DPH requirements, and DPH is conducting contact tracing with individuals who may have been exposed and outlining isolation and quarantine protocols,” the university said in a statement. “DPH will provide email notifications to any individuals identified as possible contacts who may need to quarantine.”<\/p>\n Clemson, which is about 120 miles east of Atlanta, has about 30,000 students. The confirmed case comes just days after state officials warned that South Carolina\u2019s measles outbreak was rapidly worsening.<\/p>\n As of Tuesday, 646 measles cases have been reported statewide since the outbreak began last fall. Of those, 88 new cases have been confirmed since Friday, according to DPH.<\/p>\n The department said 34 students at Clemson are in quarantine, as are 50 at Anderson University, a half-hour to the south.<\/p>\n \u201cOver the last seven to nine days, we\u2019ve had upwards of over 200 new cases. That\u2019s doubled just in the last week,\u201d Dr. Johnathon Elkes<\/a>, an emergency medicine physician at Prisma Health in Greenville, South Carolina, told NBC News.<\/em><\/p>\n Health officials say eight people have been hospitalized due to complications from measles, although it\u2019s unclear how many remain in the hospital.<\/p>\n About 200 people are currently infected, Dr. Robin LaCroix<\/a>, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at Prisma Health, added. That number could be higher, she said, because measles can spread up to four days before symptoms appear.<\/p>\n Each infected person can pass the virus to up to a dozen others, making outbreaks difficult to control.<\/p>\n Most cases in South Carolina have been reported in children and teenagers, and most were not vaccinated, state officials said.<\/p>\n Measles often begins with a fever, followed by a red, blotchy rash that starts on the head and spreads downward. While many recover, the illness can cause serious complications, and can be deadly.<\/p>\n Nationwide, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention<\/a> (CDC) reported 2,242 measles cases last year, including three deaths. Nearly all cases occurred in people under 20, and 93% were unvaccinated or had unknown vaccination status, the agency said.<\/p>\n More information<\/strong><\/p>\n The National Foundation for Infectious Diseases has more on measles<\/a>.<\/p>\n