The Largest Measles Outbreak The US Has Seen In 35 Years Has Ended

South Carolina has officially declared an end to the largest measles outbreak the United States has seen in more than 35 years, with state health officials announcing that 42 days passed without a single new confirmed case, the threshold required to declare an outbreak over. The outbreak was centered in Spartanburg County in the state's Upstate region and resulted in 997 confirmed cases over roughly six months, at least 21 hospitalizations, and affected 33 schools. More than 97 percent of those infected had not been fully vaccinated against measles, a pattern consistent with outbreaks across the country. Public health officials called ending it a monumental effort, crediting healthcare workers, communities willing to stay home when asked, and a significant uptick in vaccination rates throughout the response.

MMR vaccination doses in Spartanburg County increased by 94 percent during the outbreak period compared to the same time the year before, and rose 82 percent across the broader Upstate region, a real-time demonstration of what public awareness can accomplish when people see the consequences of a preventable disease up close. Pediatricians across the region reported previously hesitant families returning to request the vaccine after hearing from neighbors and relatives how serious the illness had been. South Carolina's experience is a powerful proof of concept that outbreaks can be stopped, and that vaccination, community cooperation, and a determined public health response can turn even the most serious situation around. It is a story about what happens when a community pulls together, and the outcome speaks for itself.

Source:https://edition.cnn.com/2026/04/27/health/south-carolina-measles-outbreak-over