South Carolina Declares End to Worst Measles Outbreak in Decades
南卡羅來納州宣布數十年來最嚴重麻疹疫情結束
On April 27, 2026, the South Carolina Department of Public Health officially declared the end of a major measles outbreak.
2026年4月27日，南卡羅來納州公共衛生部正式宣佈一場重大麻疹疫情結束。
With 997 confirmed cases, it was the largest reported outbreak in the United States in over 35 years.
此波疫情共計997例確診，是美國超過35年來通報規模最大的一次。
Lasting six months, the virus was primarily concentrated in the Upstate region, especially Spartanburg County.
疫情持續了六個月，病毒主要集中在上州(Upstate)地區，尤其是斯帕坦堡縣(Spartanburg County)。
Tragically, children under 18 bore the brunt of the illness, accounting for over 90% of all cases.
不幸的是，18歲以下的兒童承受了病情的主要衝擊，佔了所有病例的90%以上。
Public health experts identified declining vaccination rates as the primary driver behind the crisis, noting that over 93% of those infected were unvaccinated.
公共衛生專家指出，疫苗接種率下降是導致這場危機的主要因素，並提到超過93%的感染者未接種疫苗。
During the 2024–2025 school year, Spartanburg County reported the state’s highest rate of religious vaccine exemptions.
在2024至2025學年度，斯帕坦堡縣通報了全州最高的宗教疫苗豁免率。
To combat the spread, officials launched an intensive vaccination campaign, leading to an impressive 31.3% increase in statewide MMR vaccinations.
為了對抗傳播，官員發起了密集的疫苗接種運動，使全州的MMR疫苗接種率顯著提升了31.3%。
While the response cost the state $2.1 million and forced many students into quarantine, the successful containment serves as a stark reminder of the importance of community immunity.
雖然這項應對措施花費了州政府210萬美元，並迫使許多學生進行隔離，但這次成功的防疫遏制成了社區免疫重要性的鮮明提醒。
Although no deaths were reported, the outbreak underscored the vulnerability of communities where vaccination rates drop, threatening the national status of measles elimination across the Americas.
儘管沒有死亡病例，這場疫情凸顯了疫苗接種率下降的社區之脆弱性，威脅到美洲地區根除麻疹的國家地位。
