"Encephalitis is a rare but severe complication of measles that can lead to convulsions and cause deafness or intellectual disability in children. It usually occurs within 30 days of an initial measles infection and can happen if the brain becomes infected with the virus or if an immune reaction to the virus causes inflammation in the brain. Among children who get measles encephalitis, 10 to 15 percent die."
""We don't comment on the outcomes of individuals, but we do know that inflammation of the brain, or encephalitis, is a known complication of measles," Bell told reporters during a media briefing on Wednesday. "Anytime you have inflammation of the brain, there can be long-term consequences, things like developmental delay and impacts on the neurologic system that can be irreversible.""
"The South Carolina measles outbreak began in October with a handful of infections. As of February 3, cases have climbed to 876, with 700 of those being reported since the beginning of the year. The surge could mean another bad year of measles for the United States, which had more than 2,267 cases-the highest in 30 years-in 2025. Declining vaccination rates across the country are driving the resurgence."
Measles cases in South Carolina began in October and reached 876 by February 3, with 700 reported since the start of the year. Declining vaccination rates are driving a national resurgence that produced more than 2,267 U.S. cases in 2025. Encephalitis is a rare but severe measles complication that can cause convulsions, deafness, intellectual disability, and death in 10 to 15 percent of affected children. Encephalitis typically occurs within 30 days of measles infection and can result from viral brain infection or an immune-driven inflammation. State reporting requires notification of measles cases, but hospitalizations and complications are not mandatorily disclosed. The state has recorded 19 measles-related hospitalizations, including pneumonia, which occurs in about one in 20 children with measles and is the leading cause of death among infected children.
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