Two new cases of measles associated with the outbreak in Spartanburg County have been confirmed, the state Department of Public Health announced Oct. 24, bringing the total case count for the Upstate outbreak to 22 and the total state count since July to 25.
Like two of the four new cases DPH announced Oct. 21, the two most recent cases were among close contacts to known cases who have been quarantining at home.
To help combat further spread of the highly contagious measles virus, DPH has activated its Mobile Health Unit in Spartanburg County to offer the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine to unvaccinated individuals at no cost.
In a media briefing Oct. 21, state epidemiologist and Health Programs Branch Director Linda Bell said only seven MMR vaccines had been administered in the previous week, a total she described as “disappointing.”
As of Oct. 24, that total had climbed to 21 vaccines administered to 18 adults and three children.
Bell said earlier this week DPH was continuing to evaluate how its Mobile Health Unit was being deployed and would make adjustments to where and for how long it would be on site to make it as convenient as possible for people to take advantage of free MMR immunizations.
The newest dates and locations for the mobile unit are as follows:
- Wednesday, Oct. 29 — Inman Library, 50 Mill St., Inman, 2-6 p.m.
- Thursday, Oct. 30 — Inman Library, 2-6 p.m.
- Monday, Nov. 3 — Boiling Springs Library, 871 Double Bridge Rd., Boiling Springs, 1-4 p.m.
- Wednesday, Nov. 5 — Boiling Springs Library, 1-4 p.m.
- Thursday, Nov. 6 — Boiling Springs Library, 1-4 p.m.
For more information, visit dph.sc.gov/diseases-conditions/infectious-diseases/viruses-parasites-bacterial-infections/measles-rubeola.
