South Carolina hospitals aren’t required to disclose measles-related admissions. That leaves doctors in the Dark.
CNN • • health
Key Points:
- South Carolina is experiencing the largest measles outbreak in the U.S. since the virus was declared eliminated 25 years ago, with 973 reported cases, but only 20 measles-related hospital admissions have been reported, likely a significant undercount.
- The state does not require hospitals to report measles-related admissions, limiting public health officials' ability to assess the outbreak's severity and complicating doctors' efforts to inform patients accurately.
- Medical professionals emphasize the serious risks of measles, including pneumonia, encephalitis, and death, especially among unvaccinated children and pregnant women, but political pressures and vaccine hesitancy hinder transparent communication.
- Large healthcare systems in South Carolina face political and social pressures that contribute to cautious
