Published April 14, 2026 at 7:00 PM | By David Morales, Business Reporter
The South Carolina Department of Public Health reported no new measles cases on Tuesday, marking the seventh consecutive update with zero additional infections since the Spartanburg County-centered outbreak peaked. The case count has held at 997 since March 17, and if no new cases are reported in the coming days, state officials say the outbreak could be officially declared over as soon as April 26.
An outbreak is declared over after 42 consecutive days with no new cases, which represents double the 21-day incubation period for measles. The Spartanburg County area served as the epicenter of what became the largest measles outbreak in the United States since 2000. South Carolina has spent an estimated $1.6 million on public health response efforts.
The outbreak had a measurable effect on Spartanburg County businesses, particularly restaurants, childcare facilities, and employers with large workforces. Vaccination rates in Spartanburg County schools remain below 90 percent, which is under the 95 percent threshold required for community immunity. Statewide kindergarten vaccination rates dropped to 91 percent for the 2024-2025 school year, down from 95 percent in 2019-2020.
The approach of the outbreak end date signals a return to normalcy for Spartanburg County businesses and families who have navigated months of public health uncertainty.
Q: Is the Spartanburg measles outbreak over?
A: Not officially yet. No new cases have been reported since March 17, and if no new infections appear, the outbreak could be declared over on April 26 after 42 consecutive days with no new cases.
Q: How many measles cases were there in Spartanburg County?
A: The outbreak totaled 997 cases and was centered in Spartanburg County. It was the largest measles outbreak in the United States since 2000.
Q: How much did the measles outbreak cost South Carolina?
A: South Carolina spent an estimated $1.6 million on public health response efforts to combat the outbreak.
This is a developing business brief based on verified sources. Information may be incomplete. If you have additional details or corrections, add them in the comments below or contact our newsroom. When this story is fully confirmed, it will be published as a full article.
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997 cases and finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. April 26 cannot come soon enough for businesses in the county.
The vaccination rate being below 90 percent in our schools is concerning even after all this. Hope the county learned something from this experience.
1.6 million dollars in taxpayer money spent responding to something that was preventable. Glad it is almost over.
Our restaurant traffic definitely took a hit during the peak of the outbreak. Good news for all of us in the food service industry here.
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