The South Carolina Department of Public Health reported no new measles cases in its April 14 outbreak update. The agency last reported a new case of the disease March 17.
South Carolina's measles outbreak was officially declared in October 2025 and has grown into the nation's largest outbreak since the disease was declared eliminated in 2000. But cases in the state have plateaued at 997, and DPH said the outbreak could come to an end April 26 should nobody else be infected with the disease. A period of 42 days, or twice the disease's 21-day incubation period, is needed before the outbreak can be declared over.
April's current lack of reported cases continued a downward trend in case spread within the state. DPH reported 671 new measles cases in January, 138 new cases in February and just 12 new cases in March, according to a South Carolina Public Radio data analysis.
Of the 997 cases, 940 have been reported in Spartanburg County residents; Spartanburg County has acted as the outbreak's epicenter, but cases were, too, reported in Greenville County, Anderson County, Pickens County, Cherokee County, Lancaster County and Sumter County.
The state's outbreak could be less than two weeks away from its final day, but DPH still recommends South Carolinians who have not received the measles, mumps and rubella vaccination to seek one out — 95.6% of the state's cases are in people who are not fully vaccinated. DPH credited January and February vaccination numbers with helping the state's slowing case spread.
A 95% vaccination rate is the threshold needed to prevent community outbreaks, and in Spartanburg County schools, 88.9% of students have their required immunizations, according to state data. It is the lowest rate among students in any of the state's counties and in part why 90.2% of the outbreak's cases have been in children.
As the state inches toward a potential end to its measles outbreak, nationwide cases continue to grow. Seventeen new measles outbreaks have been reported in 2026, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The nation's case total for the year sat at 1,714 as of April 9, which is 573 cases away from matching 2025's confirmed count.
DPH will release its next case update Tuesday, April 21, and it will immediately notify if a new case is reported.
