The South Carolina Department of Public Health's lead epidemiologist retired shortly before the start of April and the potential end of the state's measles outbreak.
Dr. Linda Bell helped lead the state's public health response to the ongoing measles outbreak and the COVID-19 pandemic. Neither she nor DPH made a public announcement regarding the exit, but agency Media Relations Director Ron Aiken confirmed in an email to South Carolina Public Radio that Bell's final day before retirement was March 31. DPH did not provide an answer to a question that asked if the departure was expected.
DPH's interim director, Dr. Edward Simmer, said in a statement that he and the agency were grateful for Bell's work. She had worked at DPH and its legacy agency, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, for almost 33 years.
"We are grateful for Dr. Bell's outstanding, decades-long service to the people of South Carolina and the lasting impacts of her work," Simmer said. "We wish Dr. Bell much success in her future endeavors."
Bell was a regular at public announcements and updates during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although Bell was involved in strategy and response, she told South Carolina Public Radio's Gavin Jackson in 2021 that she believed there "were ways to more safely reopen."
She served as a public voice at the agency and as a key figure in the state's measles outbreak that was officially declared in October 2025; Bell had led weekly Wednesday media briefings throughout South Carolina's current measles outbreak. On April 1, without a public retirement announcement from Bell, DPH Chief Medical Officer and Deputy Director of Health Promotion and Services Dr. Brannon Traxler instead took questions at the online meeting.
Bell, too, would give presentations in front of state lawmakers when warranted.
South Carolina's Upstate-concentrated measles outbreak, which is the nation's largest outbreak since the disease was declared eliminated in 2000, has plateaued in recent weeks. DPH has not reported a new case of measles since March 17 and reported just 12 new measles cases through the year's third month.
Bell had been a staunch supporter of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccination throughout her tenure. And she helped the state agency communicate with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, among other responsibilities.
A period of 42 days — or twice the disease's incubation period — with no new cases is needed before the outbreak can be declared over. DPH has said that if no new cases are reported, the last day of the outbreak will be April 26.
