South Carolina health officials have declared an end to a measles outbreak that infected 997 people over six months, making it the largest single-location outbreak in the U.S. since the disease was declared eliminated, Reuters reported Sunday.
The outbreak began in October 2025 and spread primarily through unvaccinated school-age children, according to the South Carolina Department of Public Health. The last case was reported on March 15, after which state officials waited 42 days, twice the virus’s maximum incubation period, before formally declaring it over.
Of the 997 cases, 932 occurred in people who had never been vaccinated. Spartanburg County accounted for more than 90% of infections. Children aged 5 to 17 made up the largest share, with 639 cases. The outbreak cost the state an estimated $2.1 million and led to 874 students being quarantined across 33 schools.
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