Western North Carolina is facing an escalating health concern as measles cases continue to rise. This week, two additional cases were reported in unvaccinated siblings in Buncombe County, raising the state’s total to seven since late December. Five of these cases are concentrated in Buncombe County, with the remainder in Polk and Rutherford counties.
Most of these infections are related to a significant outbreak in South Carolina’s Upstate region. The case in Rutherford County is unique, as health officials have not traced it back to a known exposure source.
Buncombe County’s latest cases have heightened concerns, particularly because one child attends Asheville-Pisgah Christian School in Candler, where the vaccination rate is only 41.4%. “So, we are not at the point where we have confirmed community spread, but the potential is there, especially with the exposure that occurred at school this time,” stated Buncombe County Public Health Director Ellis Matheson during a media briefing.
The affected children are currently in isolation, and public health authorities are actively conducting contact tracing to inform those possibly exposed. Individuals without immunity are advised to quarantine for 21 days and watch for symptoms.
Measles is an extremely infectious virus spread through airborne transmission and close contact. Initial symptoms such as fever, cough, and red or watery eyes are typically followed by a rash appearing one to two weeks post-exposure. Health authorities urge anyone who suspects exposure to contact their healthcare provider or local health department before visiting in person.
To keep residents informed, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has introduced a Measles Cases and Outbreaks Dashboard, providing updates twice weekly with new case information and exposure data.
Health authorities emphasize the importance of knowing one’s immunity status against measles. Those uncertain about their protection can contact their doctor, local health department, or use the state’s online immunity checker. “I really cannot stress enough that people need to know their immunity status to measles now,” Matheson emphasized. “And if you need to get a vaccine, now is the time.”
