COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) – Health officials have confirmed two schools are now linked to a measles outbreak in South Carolina.
The South Carolina Department of Public Health confirmed Wednesday that Global Academy of South Carolina and Fairforest Elementary, both in Spartanburg County, have cases associated with the outbreak.
Fairforest Elementary is in Spartanburg School District 6, while Global Academy is a public charter school. DPH said its announcement about the schools came after what it called a “48-hour period of parental notifications being sent and received.”
“DPH has been working closely with officials at each school, and both schools have been proactive in taking recommended precautionary measures to ensure student, teacher and staff safety and to prevent the spread of the measles virus to others,” the agency said in a statement. “This includes the identification of potentially exposed students at each school and their exclusion from school activities until the period of potential disease transmission is safely concluded.”
As of Wednesday, DPH said seven confirmed cases associated with the current outbreak have been reported in Spartanburg County since Sept. 25. Overall, South Carolina has seen 10 measles cases so far this year.
Symptoms of measles include fever, cough and a runny nose – followed by a rash that can last up to six days. More severe complications such as pneumonia, brain swelling and death can also occur.
Health officials recommend the MMR and MMRV vaccines as the best way to protect against measles.
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