Health officials in the Carolinas urging vaccines as diseases continue to spread

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — South Carolina health officials say they’ve confirmed eight new cases of measles since October 24. Each case resulted from close contact with previously known cases.

It brings the statewide total to 33 for the year.

“So far, all the measles cases this year have been in unvaccinated individuals. We did have one new case in an individual who only had one of the recommended two doses of the MMR vaccine,” South Carolina state epidemiologist Dr. Linda Bell.

MORE | Mecklenburg County urges measles vaccination as nearby SC outbreak grows

Dr. Bell says a single dose of the MMR vaccine protects against measles in about 93 percent of people. Two doses provide greater protection against measles, increasing the percentage of those protected to about 97 percent. 

“And additionally, there is no vaccine that guarantees 100 percent protection against infection. And all of the eight most recently reported cases were quarantining at home before they became infectious. So no individual exposures occurred with these new cases. And this shows the benefit of early quarantining for those individuals, as well as being exposed in protecting others from infection and preventing disease spread in the population,” Dr. Bell explained during a weekly measles briefing. 

Spartanburg and Greenville counties started seeing a measles outbreak in September.

Officials say there were eight cases in that area reported between Sept. 25 and Oct. 9. Two weeks later, that number had almost tripled.

“We do continue to be concerned that ongoing community transmission of measles may occur because declining vaccination coverage puts others in South Carolina at risk, especially because of this outbreak of measles, which is, again, one of the most highly contagious diseases,” Dr. Bell said. 

Now, Mecklenburg County public health officials are watching for cases, as people travel back and forth between the Carolinas.

“We want our residents to be vigilant in that. As we continue to see not just measles, but other infections pop up, things like pertussis. We have had more pertussis cases in the last couple of years than we’ve ever had in recent history,” said Mecklenburg County’s public health director, Dr. Raynard Washington. 

He says the county averages around two whooping cough cases a year. But this year, that number is well over 50.

Flu, COVID, and RSV cases are on their radar as well.

On Tuesday, his department confirmed a positive tuberculosis case at North Mecklenburg County High School.

“So tuberculosis is not new in Mecklenburg County, so we’ve had cases every year. We have more than 50 cases of tuberculosis reported among our residents. That’s been the case for the last several years. That number has increased over the last decade,” he said. 

Charlotte Mecklenburg County School officials notified those who were in close contact with the individual. 

“TB, unlike flu and COVID, people don’t often develop symptoms immediately, and symptoms can be very mild. And so that’s why we will be doing. Anyone that’s been exposed means that they were in close contact with the individual, whether TB was active, those individuals have been contacted, and then they will be subsequently tested by our tuberculosis control team.”

The department’s tuberculosis control program works to ensure the incidence of tuberculosis is low. 

“At Mecklenburg County Public Health, we work to identify anyone living with tuberculosis, whether it be active or latent. We provide treatment at no cost to anyone that’s experiencing tuberculosis. Whenever there is a case, we work to finding the one that they may have exposed and get those people into care,” Dr. Washington explained. 

Top health officials across the Carolinas are encouraging people to get and stay vaccinated.

“We’ve got tools in our toolbox to help us to be able to be responsive and keep people safe. I just encourage residents to take advantage of those as we have them available,” Dr. Washington said. 

*Note: “While there is a vaccine for TB, we do not recommend the vaccine for TB because TB is not prevalent in the United States. Given that we don’t have the type of incidents that other countries have TB cases. People have gone to visit other countries where TB is more prevalent, and then they come home from those countries and they bring TB back with them. So its different. We can also have community transmission of TB. We’ve had a number of potential outbreaks and some occupational settings, educational settings, which is why our work at the Health Department is really important to try to contain it as quickly as we can.” – Dr. Raynard Washington