South Carolina’s Measles Outbreak Comes to an End
South Carolina’s measles outbreak, the worst in the U.S. in 35 years, has finally ended, according to public health officials. The outbreak affected 997 people, with most of them being unvaccinated children aged between 5 and 11. This trend was also observed nationwide, where the majority of measles cases were among unvaccinated individuals.
Vaccine hesitancy and misinformation have played a significant role in these outbreaks, posing a threat to America’s long-standing elimination status of the disease. Dr. Edward Simmer, the interim director of the South Carolina Department of Public Health, emphasized that without the support of a diverse group of individuals from all backgrounds, many more cases could have occurred, potentially leading to more hospitalizations or even deaths.
He described the state’s response as “textbook” but assured that the department would be prepared for any future outbreaks. An outbreak is declared over after 42 days without new infections.
“The best way to prevent measles is through the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine, which is safe and 97 percent effective. Even as this outbreak ends, measles remains a risk,” warned Simmer.
Of the 997 cases, 932 patients were unvaccinated. However, during the outbreak, which spanned from October 2025 to March 2026, more than 81,000 vaccinations were administered. This represents a 31.3 percent increase compared to the previous year, according to the department.
Health officials attribute this rise in vaccination rates to the successful conclusion of the outbreak. Dr. Brannon Traxler, the department’s deputy director and chief medical officer, highlighted the effectiveness of vaccination combined with other public health measures in combating highly contagious viruses.
“We arrived at this point through a comprehensive outbreak response that included testing, vaccination, disease monitoring, and educating the public about measles through awareness campaigns,” said Dr. Jennifer Shuford, commissioner of the Department of State Health Services in Texas.
As seen in Texas, the majority of South Carolina’s cases were reported in young children. Fewer than 100 of the cases were adults, while 264 were under the age of 5 and 639 were aged 5-17.
Children are particularly vulnerable to severe infections, yet they make up the majority of measles cases nationwide. According to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 917 of the 1,792 cases reported this year were in children and teens aged 5-19, and 385 were in kids under the age of 5.
This highlights the impact of vaccine skepticism across the country. Vaccination rates need to be above a 95 percent threshold to limit the spread of measles. Currently, national coverage stands at 93 percent, according to Johns Hopkins University.
Childhood vaccination rates have been declining in recent years, with personal and religious exemptions reaching an all-time high within the last year, as found by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
“To reverse declining childhood immunization rates in the U.S., we need to focus on strengthening public trust in the safety and effectiveness of vaccines,” said Dr. William Moss, executive director of the International Vaccine Access Center. “If more and more parents choose not to vaccinate their children for non-medical reasons, we will no doubt see a rise in disease outbreaks.”
