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The state of West Virginia finds itself in a fortunate spot where its neighbors can't join them.
The Mountain State, as of February 19, is still without a confirmed case of measles, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Ohio, Kentucky, Virginia and Pennsylvania can't claim the same fortunes. Kentucky has four, Pennsylvania and Virginia both have five and Virginia has nine.
And those totals are nothing compared to the outbreak currently seen in South Carolina. According to the American Hospital Association, the state's Department of Health reported on Tuesday a staggering 979 cases, including 21 hospitalizations, since October.
Measles cases have exploded in the United States over the past 14 months. The country saw 2,281 cases in 2025. It has already seen 982 cases since the start of 2026.
To no one's surprise, the overwhelming majority of measles cases nationwide are with unvaccinated individuals. The CDC said that 94% of the measles cases this year so far are with people who are unvaccinated.
"Measles is one of the most contagious viruses we know about," Dr. Dave Karas of Akron Children's Hospital told WJW-FOX8 in Cleveland. "You don't even have to come in contact with someone with measles you can just be in a room where they had been previously and about 9 out of 10 people who are unvaccinated will develop measles if they are exposed."
The numbers don't lie. A measles vaccination is the best way to protect against the disease. Please make sure you're safe for you and those around you.