South Carolina's measles outbreak jumped to Washington state 5 times in 2 weeks
International travel used to be the main risk of measles cases in the US—not anymore.
South Carolina experienced its largest measles outbreak since 2000, with 997 confirmed cases from October 2, 2025 to April 26, 2026. In January, the outbreak spread to Washington state through five separate incidents in just two weeks. Despite being declared eliminated in the US in 2000, measles continues to enter the country primarily through international travel and unvaccinated residents returning from abroad.
Washington state health officials emphasized this risk in a recent NEJM Evidence study, revealing how domestic travel became a greater threat as vaccination rates declined nationwide.
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