The South Carolina Department of Public Health reported a new case of measles Friday in a Saluda County adult who contracted the disease during international travel.
DPH had not reported a new case of measles since March 17, and although the new case comes shortly before the outbreak's potential April 26 end, the agency said the new case's lack of relation to the state outbreak will not impact the current schedule.
The individual's vaccination status is unknown. Thirty-four people were identified as potentially exposed, and DPH is in the process of notifying them and recommending they go into quarantine. The infected Saluda County adult will stay in quarantine until April 18 to prevent further spread. The person had presented at a local health care provider in Saluda County April 14, and the measles case was lab-confirmed on April 16.
DPH said all appropriate precautions were taken at the provider to prevent staff or public exposure. DPH Chief Medical Officer Dr. Brannon Traxler said the case showed how outbreaks outside the state could impact South Carolina.
"This case reflects the reality of the world we live in, with measles outbreaks that are currently active in other areas posing a constant threat to spread here as people travel," she said in a statement.
Case total in the state's Upstate-centered outbreak has plateaued at 997. The total number of cases in the state since July 2025 is now 1,001; just four of the state's measles cases since July 2025 are not part of the outbreak total.
Traxler, who also serves as the agency's deputy director of health promotion and services, said the agency will take steps to transition into its routine measles monitoring protocol. Staff pulled from other areas of the agency are returning to their original post and emergency responses have slowed.
"We will not just stop monitoring for measles," Traxler said in a Wednesday afternoon media briefing. "But we will slowly go back to our more normal monitoring, which is still very much ever-present."
Fever, cough and a runny nose are some of the initial symptoms of the disease. The symptoms are typically followed by a rash that can last five or six days.
DPH recommended vaccination as the best way to prevent measles. The agency further recommended children aged 6 to 12 months to get an early dose of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine if traveling to a country where measles is common.
The next outbreak update is scheduled to release on Tuesday, April 21.
