Copyright Charleston Post and Courier
For the first time since a South Carolina measles outbreak began in the Upstate, there were no additional infections, the Department of Public Health said. The outbreak in the Upstate, mainly around Spartanburg County, remained at 34 case since it was first reported Oct. 2, with 37 total since July, the department said. While encouraged, the state epidemiologist also cautioned against reading too much into it. “With that positive sign, it is too early to say, however, that the outbreak is waning,” said Dr. Linda Bell. There are 34 people currently in quarantine and, as happened before, new cases can arise in those who were closely exposed to an infected person. The current quarantine would end on Nov. 24 and the state would wait an additional 21 days - or 42 days total from the last case - before declaring that ongoing community transmission is over. While the initial cases in the outbreak came from two schools in Spartanburg County, there have been cases at a gym in Greenville and a Spartanburg business and most recent cases have had no school contact. The virus is assumed to be circulating in the community at large now until that long stretch with no new cases shows it is not. South Carolina’s outbreak does appear likely to be related to ongoing outbreaks in other parts of the country, Bell said. The state sent off six samples for further genetic testing by a reference lab used by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the genotype is D8, which is the strain that has circulated elsewhere, she said. South Carolina’s outbreak is far from being the largest ongoing measles outbreak in the country right now. Arizona has had 111 cases, with six reported in the last week, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. Utah has seen 67 infections, with nine over the last three weeks, the Utah Department of Health and Human Services said. Overall, the U.S. has had 1,681 confirmed measles infections this year, with cases in 41 states, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. South Carolina’s quarantine will extend into the week of Thanksgiving, one of the busiest travel periods of the year, and potential new cases could extend that well into the Christmas holiday period as well, Bell said. Crowded situations like airports and airplanes also increase the risk of potential exposure to one of the most infectious known viruses. If that happens, the South Carolina outbreak “could keep rolling along into the early part of next year, if we don't increase our vaccination rates now to get people protected before these potential exposures,” Bell said. Public health is continuing to offer no-cost measles, mumps and rubella vaccine through its mobile clinics in Spartanburg County. The next one is from 1-4 p.m. Nov. 6 at Boiling Springs Library, 871 Double Bridge Road. So far, 30 people - 24 adults and six children - have taken advantage of the clinics since their launch Oct. 16. Public health is also urging people to get their flu shots ahead off the holidays. You may receive the flu and MMR shots at the same time, Bell said.
