Tennessee reports first measles cases of 2026, warns of exposure sites

Two middle Tennessee residents tested positive for measles, the Tennessee Department of Health announced Saturday, marking the state’s first cases of 2026 and prompting exposure warnings across Nashville-area businesses and nearby communities. Both patients were recovering at home, and each had been exposed to a confirmed measles case outside Tennessee.

One of the patients had been fully vaccinated, while the other patient’s vaccination status was unknown. Anyone who may have visited the listed locations during the exposure windows should watch for fever, cough, congestion, red eyes and the classic rash that begins on the face and then spreads over the body.

The exposure notice covered several places in Middle Tennessee, including Catfeine Cat Cafe in Murfreesboro, Waxing the City, Goodwill, Swett’s, Publix, Dino’s Bar and Grill, Limo Peruvian Eatery and Paul’s Corner. People who think they were exposed and later need medical care should call ahead before walking into a clinic or emergency department, a step meant to keep other patients and staff from being exposed in waiting rooms.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention counted 2,231 confirmed measles cases across 42 jurisdictions as of July 9, 2026. The United States ended 2025 with 2,289 confirmed cases, the highest annual total in decades.

Measles symptoms usually appear seven to 14 days after exposure, and an infected person can spread the virus from four days before through four days after the rash begins. The virus can remain infectious in the air for up to two hours after someone leaves an area, and up to 9 out of 10 susceptible close contacts can become infected. The CDC puts two doses of MMR vaccine at about 97% effective at preventing measles.