A measles case in Sumter County is among 29 new cases confirmed as of Feb. 3 along with several new public exposures, according to the latest update from the state Department of Public Health.
According to DPH, it is not clear if the Sumter County case is related to the ongoing outbreak centered in Spartanburg County or may be related to infections in other parts of the country.
The latest cases bring the total case count to 876 with DPH reporting 354 people in quarantine and 22 in isolation.
The most recent public exposure sites are in Sumter County and involve a restaurant and two grocery stores.
DPH will deploy a mobile health unit to Spartanburg County on Feb. 6 to offer MMR vaccines. The unit will be at Macedonia Baptist Church, 520 S. Daniel Morgan Avenue, Spartanburg, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday.
Measles symptoms to watch for typically begin 7-12 days (but up to 21 days) after exposure, and include cough, runny nose, and red watery eyes, and fever followed by a rash two to three days later that starts on the face then spreads to the rest of the body.
Vaccination continues to be the best way to combat the outbreak and slow the spread of the disease. Measles vaccines are available at many primary care provider offices, pharmacies and at DPH health clinics.
For more information, visit dph.sc.gov/diseases-conditions/infectious-diseases/viruses-parasites-bacterial-infections/measles-rubeola.
