CDC Reports Measles Cases Across Nine States This January So Far
Measles continues to spread across the country in 2026. According to CDC data, there have been 171 confirmed measles cases across nine states as of January 13, 2026.
This includes South Carolina, Virginia, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, and Utah.
Even if you’re outside of these areas, you should check for updates.
For example, in Maryland, health officials warned that a preschool-age child with measles traveled through busy public places between January 7 and 9. This includes airport terminals, an Amtrak route, and multiple shuttle buses.
The above is not an isolated case and because measles is super-infectious, following this story is important.
South Carolina
In South Carolina, AP News highlighted that there have been 124 new cases of measles in just a matter of days. This shows the disease’s infectious nature. With such a large number of people exposed, they turned to quarantine as officials tried to box the virus in.
Reuters added that the surge had been largely concentrated in Spartanburg County, and that most identified cases were among people who were unvaccinated. The majority of infections were among school-age children.
The outbreak in Spartanburg County involved multiple public exposure alerts, including a reported exposure at the South Carolina State Museum in Columbia.
Other areas have had similar outbreaks and alerts in December 2025, including Walnut Creek and Newark Liberty Airport.
It’s important to know that this is not just a late 2025, early 2026 spike in measles cases. The numbers were up overall in 2025. ABC News reported that the U.S. crossed 2,000 measles cases in 2025 for the first time in more than 30 years.
What makes it spread so easily?
The big thing about measles is that it’s airborne, and it can linger.
A Washington Post report noted the virus can hang in the air for up to two hours after an infected person leaves. So, anyone infected who goes in public is a likely spreader.
Another piece of the problem is timing. People can be contagious long before they realize what’s happening. This is how someone may go out in public with the disease and unknowingly spread it.
Symptoms
Data from the CDC shows that measles often follows a clear timeline:
- For 7–14 days after exposure, a fever can spike very high, and you may have a cough and runny nose. You may also have red, watery eyes.
- A couple of days in, you may get tiny white mouth spots.
- Finally, the rash appears, normally starting on the face and spreading downward.
How to react if you think you were exposed
If you may have been exposed, don’t rush to a clinic or ER.
Instead, stay away from public spaces and call your doctor, clinic, or ER for guidance.
The above steps are essential to try and curb the disease from spreading further.
Here’s a practical checklist to follow:
- Check your measles immunity status.
- Contact your doctor or local health department if you’re unsure, especially if you’re unvaccinated or high-risk.
- When reaching out to a medical practitioner, ask about post-exposure protection. The CDC guidance says that an MMR within 72 hours of exposure may help.
- Monitor for symptoms for 21 days after exposure.
If you’re high-risk, it’s important to monitor at home. Specifically:
- If you have young children or grandchildren at school that live with or visit you.
- If you, or people in your household work or visit busy areas daily.
As this disease can spread easily, monitoring news and symptoms is key.
However, the safest move is to call your doctor or clinic and confirm your MMR status.
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