Headline Roundup • December 15th, 2025
South Carolina Measles Outbreak Reaches Over 125 Cases
Summary from the AllSides News Team
A measles outbreak in northern South Carolina has infected more than 100 people and put nearly 300 individuals in quarantine since the first case of this outbreak was identified in October.
The Details: The South Carolina Department of Public Health announced 126 confirmed cases as of December 12 and 303 exposed individuals in quarantine to prevent further spreading of the virus. 119 of the individuals were not vaccinated at all against the virus, three were partially vaccinated, and one was fully vaccinated with the recommended two doses. Health officials do not know the vaccination status of three of the sick individuals.
For Context: Texas had over 700 cases of measles earlier this year; Arizona and Utah have logged 172 and 82 cases of measles, respectively, since August. The US has held measles elimination status since 2000 but is at risk of losing that status as soon as January.
How the Media Covered It: Jim Geraghty (Lean Right) writing for National Review (Right) highlighted that though Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. may not have influenced this outbreak directly through policies, as he only took office in February of this year, "Kennedy has been fanning the flames of vaccine skepticism for a long, long time." Geraghty noted that Kennedy's support for the measles vaccine is only recent and mentioned several incidents, some as recent as June 2024, of him downplaying the significance of the measles virus. New York Times (Lean Left) focused on the social consequences of the outbreak, noting that the resulting quarantine has felt similar to the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many students have resorted to remote learning, and some parents have had to stay home from work to provide childcare or to quarantine. Reuters and Forbes, both in the Center, included Kennedy's skepticism of some vaccines, with Forbes calling him an "anti-vaccine advocate."
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Featured Coverage of this Story
AFP via Getty Images
The new cases were recorded between Tuesday and Friday centered around Spartanburg County, bringing the total number infected to 126 since October, the South Carolina Department of Public Health said Friday.
More than 300 people are in quarantine and 13 in isolation.
Utah and Arizona are also experiencing outbreaks: Mohave County, Arizona, has logged 172 cases and the Southwest Utah Public Health Department has logged 82 cases, both since August, the Associated Press reported Thursday.
On the menu today: You're going to see a lot of criticism of U.S. of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy for the ongoing measles outbreak in Spartanburg County, S.C. But Kennedy was only sworn in February 13, and for most of the more than 100 South Carolinians catching measles now, their parents made their decisions about vaccinating years and years ago. Kennedy is a relatively new fan of vaccinating for measles, and this fall the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices...
Late-night emails sent to parents informing them that someone in their child's classroom has been infected with measles. Pediatricians fielding calls from concerned mothers about the vaccination status of their children. An anxious father running into the waiting room of a hospital, a sick baby in his arms, asking for help.
What began in the fall as a trickle of measles infections in Spartanburg County, S.C., has since grown into an outbreak that has sickened more than 110 people, prompted more than 250 residents to quarantine and unsettled many more....
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