BEAUFORT COUNTY, S.C. — The South Carolina Department of Public Health (SCDPH) has recently confirmed an additional 15 measles cases in the upstate region, increasing the total number of cases to 129.

Although the majority of these cases have been concentrated in the state’s northern areas, there remains a significant risk of the virus making its way to the Lowcountry, according to local infectious disease specialists.

“With travel and gatherings, there’s a real concern that the number of cases could escalate to hundreds, if not thousands, if precautions aren’t taken,” warned Dr. Taras Nebeluk of Novant Health.

Dr. Nebeluk, along with other healthcare experts, is apprehensive about the potential for a widespread outbreak. Their concerns are amplified by the highly contagious nature of the measles virus, which can linger in an environment for extended periods.

Individuals infected with measles typically experience symptoms such as fever, a rash that begins on the face and spreads across the body, along with a runny nose and cough.

“Measles can survive in the air and on surfaces for up to 2 hours after someone who has measles enters the room or enters an area,” said Dr. Nebeluk.

The fear of that is it can take something as simple as touching items in a store or transferring groceries to your home to lead to exposure of the virus.

“Holiday shopping, going to the mall, going to Walmart, going to things. You never know where you can get exposed,” he said.

He said the measles virus is most contagious in the first 4 days of exposure and usually stops contagion after the 4 days. And some people who are exposed and contract measles don’t always show any symptoms or signs.

“You could contract it from a completely asymptomatic individual at your church, at your school, at the mall,” he said. “Being in a certain corner of the state doesn’t guarantee protection.”

Dr. Nebeluk also said that just because the virus is mostly in the upstate of South Carolina doesn’t mean there is not a risk of further spread.

“Everyone’s got a relative somewhere and the cars travel 60 miles an hour.  So my response is we have got very good highways and people love to travel and everyone’s gathering for the holidays. So, you’re not as remote as you think you are or as isolated as you think you are from any ongoing events,” he said.

Dr. Nebeluk said the measles vaccine has been proven safe and is highly recommended. One dose gives a 93% protection rate and the second dose gives a 97% protection rate.

“Vaccination significantly reduces transmission of measles in particular,” said Dr. Nebeluk.

He said 90% of exposed unvaccinated individuals get the virus after being in contact with someone with measles.

He recommends that kids especially receive vaccinations since schools have been one of the leading outbreaks causes in the upstate.

“Across the nation, vaccination rates among school kids are falling and that’s really the population that congregates a lot in school. They’re close to each other and that’s how many things spread.  So, you know, I would just encourage folks to get vaccinated, to get their kids vaccinated,” he said.

Dr. Nebeluk reassured again that the measles vaccine is a globally recognized and a safe measure to prevent a severe case.

“Its safety profile has been proven again and again. And the other thing I would encourage for people to notice is the consequences of measles itself, because measles, in one in 1000 cases, will cause a horrible, debilitating neurological disease. In one in 100 cases, it could cause horrible pulmonary or gastrointestinal disease.”

He said measles causes hospitalizations in up to 10% to 11% of people who become infected with it.

“That’s a fairly significant rate. You know, if we had anything else that landed 10% of people in the hospital, we would be very, very concerned,” he said. “You know, the vaccine certainly doesn’t land 10% of people in the hospital.”

If you are unvaccinated and become exposed to measles, Dr. Nebeluk said you are encouraged to get vaccinated within 72 hours of exposure and seek the proper care and procedures.

“They can also receive immunoglobulin within six days of being exposed.  So, I would encourage that wherever you are in the state, you know, within that timeframe to try to seek care and to be tested and to have those interventions done, if there hasn’t been vaccinations,” he said. “If a child has been vaccinated and they’re having fevers and all that, they can be brought to the hospital for an evaluation, because in some cases of measles, there can be fairly serious consequences.”

The South Carolina Department of Public Health reports that 119 out of the 129 reported cases were unvaccinated. Three of the reported cases were partially vaccinated and one of the infected received both doses of the vaccine.

Anyone exposed to unvaccinated and vaccinated individuals is recommended to quarantine for 21 days.