South Carolina authorities have mandated a three-week quarantine for 153 unvaccinated children following a measles outbreak at two schools in Spartanburg. The order, issued by the state’s Department of Public Health, affects students attending Global Academy of South Carolina and Fairforest Elementary School.
The quarantine requires the children to stay home but allows remote learning options as officials monitor for symptoms. Measles cases have risen sharply in the Upstate region, with one confirmed case at Global Academy and three at Fairforest Elementary. Health officials stated all 11 measles patients in South Carolina this year were unvaccinated and lacked immunity from prior infections.
The virus spreads before symptoms appear, with contagious periods lasting four days before and after the rash develops. Initial signs include fever, coughing, runny nose, and red eyes. The outbreak began on September 25, with eight cases reported in the region. Spartanburg County has the state’s highest rate of religious vaccine exemptions, at approximately 6% among children.
Public health experts warn of increasing challenges in containing outbreaks, citing the highly contagious nature of measles. Similar quarantine measures have been implemented in Minnesota, where 118 unvaccinated students face remote learning restrictions.
