South Carolina has reported a new confirmed case of measles, the state's third case this year and one of more than 1,400 in the United States.
The state Department of Public Health said Monday the new case was reported in an Upstate resident, who was unvaccinated and did not have immunity from a previous measles infection.
The person recently traveled internationally to a country with an ongoing measles outbreak, the health department said, adding the person was not contagious while traveling.
The person is currently isolating at home, the department said.
Citing state and federal privacy restrictions, the department did not release details about the person, including their age, sex and physical condition.
South Carolina's first two measles cases were recorded in July.
The first case was also confirmed in an Upstate resident, who the department said was also unvaccinated and did not have immunity from a prior measles infection. The second case was identified later, also in the Upstate, and was a known close contact to the first case, the department said. That person was also unvaccinated, a spokesperson said.
“This virus spreads quickly, which is why we must act now to prevent its spread," said Dr. Linda Bell, the state's epidemiologist and director of the Health Programs Branch.
Measles is highly contagious, and is spread through the air when someone coughs, sneezes or breathes. It can lead to hospitalization and also death.
Symptoms include fever, cough and runny nose and are followed by a rash, that can last five to six days.
The public health department said the measles vaccine is more than 97% effective in preventing the virus.
The department recommends children get two doses of measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccines, starting with the first vaccine at 12 to 15 months and the second at 4 to 6 years old.
Children who are age 6 to a year old should get an early dose of the vaccine if they are traveling out of the country where measles can be common, the department said.
"It is crucial that health care providers and the public be aware of the symptoms associated with this disease,” Bell said in a statement. “It is proven that the best way to prevent measles is by vaccination. I strongly encourage everyone to review their immunization records to make sure they are up to date on all vaccinations and to talk with their health care provider about the benefits and risks of getting vaccinated."
There have been 35 measles outbreaks in the United States reported this year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Eighty-six percent of the confirmed cases were outbreak-associated, the CDC said.
Last year, the CDC reported 16 outbreaks and reported 69% were outbreak-associated.
One of the country's largest outbreaks this year reported in in Texas has since ended, state health leaders announced in August.
More than two-thirds of those case were reported in children.
