COLUMBIA, S.C., October 14(HS): More than 150 unvaccinated schoolchildren in South Carolina have been placed under a 21-day quarantine after a measles exposure, as the United States grapples with its highest number of cases in over three decades.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1,563 measles cases have been confirmed nationwide this year, the highest level since 1992.

The quarantine affects students from two schools in Spartanburg County: Global Academy of South Carolina and Fairforest Elementary School. The measure was enacted after the South Carolina Department of Public Health confirmed its eighth case in two weeks, prompting officials to warn of active, unrecognized community transmission in the state’s Upstate region.

This localized outbreak is part of a disturbing national trend. The U.S. has recorded 44 outbreaks across 42 jurisdictions so far in 2025, with other significant case surges reported in Arizona (63 cases) and Utah (55 cases). The majority of those infected have been unvaccinated.

Earlier this year, a severe outbreak across west Texas and New Mexico resulted in three fatalities, the country’s first measles-related deaths since 2015.

Health officials continue to stress that the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine is the most effective defense, offering 97% protection against the highly contagious virus, which can lead to severe complications like pneumonia, brain swelling, and death.

The spike in cases is not confined to the U.S. Canada has reported 5,024 cases, more than triple the U.S. total despite its smaller population, and UNICEF has noted that measles cases are surging globally. The rise in the U.S. has been partly linked to increased vaccine skepticism, a movement that has gained traction in recent years.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar