GSP airport listed as measles exposure site amid growing Upstate outbreak

(WACH) — South Carolina health officials are warning travelers about possible measles exposure at Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport after a contracted employee tested positive, the Department of Public Health (DPH) announced Thursday.

Visitors at the airport on Nov. 10 and Nov. 11 between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. each day may have been exposed.

The alert comes as DPH reports three new measles cases this week, bringing the total tied to the Upstate outbreak to 52 and the statewide total for the year to 55.

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Two of the new cases involve household contacts of existing patients, while one appears to stem from unknown community transmission.

Contact tracing from the latest cases has placed 137 people in quarantine and one in isolation, DPH said.

That includes 57 individuals from Lyman Elementary, 55 from Boiling Springs Middle School and one student at D.R. Hill Middle School. All

affected families and staff have been notified, and students who complete quarantine without symptoms are expected to return to class Nov. 29.

In a statement to WACH FOX, Spartanburg District Five, where Lyman Elementary and D.R. Hill Middle School are located, said:

Spartanburg District Five was first notified of the positive case at Lyman Elementary School on November 10, and our district and school health staff immediately began contact tracing to determine other students and/or staff who were exposed and had to be quarantined. As a result, we identified two students at nearby D.R. Hill Middle School who were also exposed, one of who has already received the necessary vaccination and returned to school. We immediately communicated with those impacted families, and then with our entire school community to inform them of the situation. Our maintenance and custodial teams also immediately began working to sanitize any areas where the infected student may have been. We will continue working with the Department of Public Health to ensure the safety of all students and staff in Spartanburg District Five.

DPH also identified a second possible exposure site: Way of Truth Church in Inman, where an infectious individual attended services on Nov. 7 from 7–11 p.m. and on Nov. 9 from 10 a.m.–2 p.m.

Anyone who was at GSP airport or the church during the listed times is urged to monitor for symptoms and contact a health care provider if they become ill. People exposed at the church should watch for symptoms through Nov. 30; those exposed at the airport should monitor through Dec. 2.

In a statement to WACH FOX, GSP said:

While we do not have additional details about the individual’s role or movements, we encourage anyone who believes they may have been exposed on November 10 or 11, to review the Department of Public Health’s guidance and follow their recommendations.

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Measles symptoms typically begin 7–12 days after exposure with cough, runny nose, red eyes and fever, followed by a high fever and a spreading rash. Individuals are contagious from four days before the rash appears to four days after.

DPH will offer MMR vaccinations Monday, Nov. 24, from 12–3 p.m. at Mt. Moriah Baptist Church in Spartanburg and is prioritizing requests from community groups seeking mobile vaccination events.

Of the 52 outbreak-related cases, 31 are in children ages 5–17 and 10 are in children under 5. Most cases involve unvaccinated individuals, with 49 unvaccinated and two partially vaccinated, according to DPH.

WACH FOX has reached out to Spartanburg District 2 for comment.