Measles Outbreak Declared Over in South Carolina
Public health officials in South Carolina announced on Monday that the state has officially ended its significant measles outbreak, the largest in the U.S. since 1991.
The outbreak saw its last reported case 42 days prior, after affecting 997 individuals, primarily unvaccinated children, over six months beginning last October. Hospitalizations linked to measles complications reached at least 21.
This outbreak primarily affected the northwest area of South Carolina and, as Dr. Edward Simmer, interim director of the state’s health department, stated, “thanks to timely investigations and people’s willingness to stay home,” it was successfully contained without spreading statewide. He called the response to the outbreak a sort of “textbook” case.
Measles carries risks of serious health issues, such as pneumonia and brain swelling. Dr. Brannon Traxler from the health department noted that while many cases were relatively mild, some posed life-threatening challenges.
Last year, three individuals, including two school-aged children in Texas, died due to measles. Although most people recover from it, the virus can have enduring effects, such as a condition known as immune amnesia, which leaves children susceptible to various infections for years after infection.
Young children infected with measles before turning two years old are at a heightened risk of developing severe neurological problems that emerge years later. The outbreak in South Carolina was concentrated in Spartanburg County, where vaccination rates in schools were notably below the 95% needed to prevent such outbreaks. According to Traxler, one factor in halting the outbreak was an increase in vaccine uptake among the population. Given that measles is one of the most infectious diseases, this was essential.
However, Traxler cautioned that there are still groups within Spartanburg County and throughout the state who lack immunity, which presents an ongoing risk.
Dr. Martha Edwards, representing the South Carolina chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, shared that she has witnessed families who were previously hesitant about vaccinations now seeking the measles vaccine after seeing the outbreak’s effects in their community. “I think families that experienced measles sort of spread the word that this wasn’t an easy illness, and they were genuinely concerned,” she said.
Although South Carolina’s outbreak has been resolved for the moment, there are over 20 other measles outbreaks currently identified across the U.S., including significant ones in Texas, Florida, and Utah, each with more than 100 confirmed cases.
The resurgence of measles coincides with declining vaccination rates across the country. For the 2024-2025 school year, data shows that only 92.5% of kindergartners received the measles vaccine. In various communities, the numbers are notably lower, fostering environments where outbreaks can emerge. Experts believe that even one isolated case can trigger broader transmission.
In 2022, the U.S. faced 2,288 measles cases, the highest since the disease was declared eliminated in 2000—an elimination status that significantly depended on maintaining a year without any ongoing transmission.
That status is now increasingly in jeopardy. With 1,792 measles cases recorded this year already, projections indicate that the U.S. may exceed last year’s figures.
