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14h ago

South Carolina Ends Six-Month Measles Outbreak After 997 Cases

The outcome shows that quick containment and more vaccinations can slow a highly contagious virus.

A worker with the South Carolina Department of Public Health talks to a patient outside a mobile clinic offering free measles vaccinations near the center of the outbreak in Spartanburg, South Carolina.
The MMR vaccine is highly effective. One dose prevents disease about 93% of the time, and two doses raise that protection to 97%.
SPARTANBURG, SOUTH CAROLINA - FEBRUARY 6: A logo on a sign from the South Carolina Department of Public Health at a mobile clinic offering free measles vaccinations on February 6, 2026 in Spartanburg, South Carolina.
Dr. Jessica Early holds a vial of the combination measles, mumps and rubella vaccine at Prisma Health Pediatrics in Greer, S.C., on March 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Mary Conlon)

Overview

  • State health officials declared the outbreak over Monday after 42 days without a new case, following the last reported infection on March 15.
  • The event concentrated in Spartanburg County sickened 997 people, with 932 unvaccinated, and school-age children accounted for 639 cases.
  • Vaccination picked up during the response as about 81,000 to 82,000 MMR doses were given statewide, a roughly 30% increase, and Spartanburg saw about a 94% jump.
  • Officials reported at least 21 hospitalizations and estimated $2.1 million in response costs, and the state sent nearly 2,300 quarantine letters and quarantined 874 students across 33 schools.
  • Measles activity across the U.S. remains high with 1,792 cases reported this year as of April 23, and international reviewers plan a November decision on whether the U.S. keeps its elimination status.