(NewsNation) — Public health officials in South Carolina are racing to get a measles outbreak under control, as reported cases climb above 100.
As of Dec. 9, the South Carolina Department of Public Health reports 114 cases of measles have been documented since July 9, with 111 of the cases centered around Spartanburg County. The department notes that the outbreak was confirmed in the Upstate region back in October and that cases have been “accelerating.”
During a news briefing Wednesday, state epidemiologist Linda Bell said at least 254 people had been placed in quarantine as of Tuesday. Churches and schools have been among the hardest hit, with nine schools under quarantine.
Measles is a highly contagious virus that can result in severe health complications and even death. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, symptoms such as a high fever, rash and cough can appear 7 to 14 days after contact with the virus. South Carolina public health officials warn the virus can linger in the air for up to two hours after an infected person leaves.
The virus was declared eliminated from the U.S. in 2000, but has since experienced a resurgence amid growing vaccine hesitancy. According to the CDC, dozens of other states have reported cases this year, including Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah and Kansas. The agency notes two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, also known as the MMR vaccine, are about 97% effective at preventing measles.
“Unfortunately, we have students who need to be quarantined a second time due to new cases in their schools,” Bell said. “Vaccination continues to be the best way to prevent the disruption that measles is causing to people’s education, to employment, and other factors in people’s lives in our communities.”