TUESDAY MEASLES UPDATE: DPH Reports 12 New Measles Cases, Bringing Outbreak total to 962; Additional School, Public Exposures

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Feb. 17, 2026

COLUMBIA, S.C. ― The South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH) is reporting 12 new cases of measles in the state since Friday, bringing the total number of cases in South Carolina related to the Upstate outbreak to 962.

There are currently 127 people in quarantine and eight in isolation. The latest end of quarantine for these is March 11.

Based on the new cases, DPH has identified public exposures at Libertas Academy (17 individuals in quarantine). Additionally, individuals remain in quarantine from Inman Intermediate (fewer than 5 individuals in quarantine).

DPH has one public exposure notification to report. DPH has defined the time of potential exposure at the following location: Walmart – Powdersville, 11410 Anderson Road, Greenville, S.C. on Sunday Feb. 8 from 4 to 8 p.m.  

The risk of exposure in public exposure locations is limited to the specific dates and times announced. Once that time frame has passed, the location is not an ongoing risk for measles exposure. Exposures occurred only when an infectious person was present during the defined time. These locations are not a source of ongoing exposure, and businesses and locations identified are not responsible for a person with measles having been present.

People who were exposed at Walmart, especially those without immunity through vaccination or previous disease, should monitor for symptoms through March 1.  

Complications are not reportable to DPH, but we have learned of 20 hospitalizations, including both adults and children, for complications of the disease since the beginning of the outbreak. Additional cases required medical care for measles but were not hospitalized. To protect privacy, DPH does not provide protected health information or any information that could identify persons.

Vaccination continues to be the best way to prevent measles and stop this outbreak. Vaccines are available at many primary care provider offices and pharmacies, as well as DPH Health Departments.  

In response to the ongoing measles outbreak in the Upstate, DPH will activate its Mobile Health Unit to offer measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccination to the public at no cost on Tuesday, March 3 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Grace Community Church, 570 Magnolia Street, Spartanburg.  

To stay up-to-date on the latest measles outbreak information, visit our dedicated webpage here. For additional data related to the outbreak, visit our Measles Dashboard.

Outbreak Data Points 
Age breakdown of 962 cases: 
Under 5: 253 
5-17: 615 
18+: 85 
Unknown: 9

Vaccination status: 
893 unvaccinated, 20 partially vaccinated with one of the recommended two-dose MMR sequence, 26 vaccinated with the two-dose MMR sequence, and 23 unknown. 

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