Measles outbreaks are surging along the Utah-Arizona border and in South Carolina, leading to hundreds of quarantines and raising concerns about the U.S. losing its measles elimination status.
Measles outbreaks are rapidly escalating along the Utah-Arizona border and in South Carolina, with hundreds now in quarantine. South Carolina has confirmed 111 cases in two months, including 27 new cases recently, primarily linked to exposures at Way of Truth Church. Over 250 people, including schoolchildren, are under quarantine, some for the second time. In the Utah-Arizona border region, Mohave County, Arizona, has reported 172 cases, and Southwest Utah has 82, with Colorado City, Arizona, and Hildale, Utah, being the most affected. Nationally, the U.S. is nearing 2,000 measles cases this year, a disease considered eliminated since 2000. Canada and the larger Americas region have already lost their measles elimination status, and the U.S. is at risk if continuous transmission lasts for a year. A major outbreak earlier this year in Texas, New Mexico, and Oklahoma sickened nearly 900 people, marking the worst measles year in over three decades. All but eight states have reported at least one case, with the CDC confirming 47 outbreaks this year, compared to 16 in 2024. Three deaths have been reported, including two Texas schoolchildren. Experts attribute the resurgence to declining vaccination rates for the safe and 97% effective MMR vaccine, as more parents waive shots or fall behind on schedules.
