COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina health officials say the state’s measles outbreak, the largest in the U.S. in decades, can be declared over on April 26 if no new infections emerge, according to Reuters, South Carolina Department of Public Health, South Carolina Public Radio, FOX Carolina, WLTX, and CIDRAP. Each of the bullet points immediately below have been confirmed by at least four of the six respected sources we curated on this story.
- South Carolina’s outbreak total remains at 997 confirmed cases tied to the Upstate-centered spread first identified in October 2025.
- State updates continue to report no newly identified measles cases in recent reporting windows, extending the outbreak’s slowdown.
- Officials say April 26 is the target date to declare the outbreak over, but only if no additional infections are detected before then.
- The end-of-outbreak threshold is 42 consecutive days without a new case, a standard based on twice measles’ maximum 21-day incubation period.
Additional Details Reported
Surveillance and operations
Reuters reported in late March that federal support from CDC Epidemic Intelligence Service investigators had been deployed to help analyze transmission chains, while state officials emphasized continued vigilance.
WLTX and FOX Carolina reported detailed case demographics showing most infections in children and most cases among unvaccinated residents.
What officials are still monitoring
CIDRAP said South Carolina leaders remain focused on possible unrecognized spread during spring break travel, and highlighted separate airport exposure concerns reported in the Chicago area.
The state health department continues twice-weekly public updates and reiterates vaccination guidance as the principal prevention strategy.
Image Attribution
Attribution: AI-generated image (Hedra.com for EOBS.biz)
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