South Carolina's measles outbreak is over after sickening nearly 1,000 people

South Carolina health officials have declared the state's Upstate measles outbreak over after the required no-new-cases window expired.

The South Carolina Department of Public Health said on April 27 that the outbreak ended after 42 days without a new outbreak-related case. Officials said the outbreak totaled 997 cases.

AP reported that at least 21 people were hospitalized during the outbreak. The last confirmed outbreak-related case was reported on March 15.

Health officials said the 42-day standard is the threshold used to determine when an outbreak can be closed. With that period now complete, the state formally ended the outbreak.

The declaration marks a major turn after a prolonged public health response in the Upstate. It also closes one of the largest measles outbreaks reported in the United States in recent years.

Public health officials have not said that all risk is gone, but the formal outbreak designation has ended. The next focus will be on routine surveillance and making sure any future cases are identified quickly.