Measles in Tennessee 2026: Current Cases, Outbreak Risk, and MMR Coverage

Measles in Tennessee: 2026 Status

People are actively searching for measles information about Tennessee in 2026 — and for good reason. The national measles resurgence has been significant, with over 600 confirmed cases across more than 20 states as of late March 2026.

See the latest Tennessee case count and weekly updates on our Tennessee measles tracker, which pulls directly from Johns Hopkins University Measles Tracking data.

Tennessee’s Vaccination Coverage

Tennessee’s kindergarten MMR vaccination rate is 94.4% for the 2024–25 school year — just below the 95% herd immunity threshold that public health experts consider protective against measles outbreaks.

That 0.6 percentage point gap matters more than it sounds. Measles is one of the most contagious diseases known, capable of spreading to 12–18 unvaccinated individuals from a single infected person. When coverage clusters below 95% in specific schools or communities, the risk of sustained transmission rises sharply.

Tennessee’s non-medical exemption rate is 3.7% — meaning a meaningful share of kindergarteners are opting out of vaccination requirements. See the full breakdown on our Tennessee MMR coverage page.

Neighboring States with Active Measles Outbreaks

Tennessee borders eight states. Several of them have reported measles activity in 2025–2026:

• Kentucky measles cases — Northern neighbor, multiple impressions in national search
• Indiana measles cases — Has reported cases; frequently searched
• Virginia measles cases — Eastern neighbor
• North Carolina measles cases — Southeastern border
• Georgia measles cases — Southern neighbor
• Alabama measles cases — Southwestern border
• Mississippi measles cases — Western neighbor
• Missouri measles cases — Northwestern border

Outbreaks in neighboring states increase the chance of measles being introduced into Tennessee, especially given the state’s sub-95% vaccination coverage.

What Should Tennessee Residents Do?

1. Verify your MMR vaccination status. Two doses of MMR vaccine are 97% effective against measles. If you’re unsure, check your records or ask your doctor about an immunity blood test.
2. Check your children’s vaccination records. The CDC recommends the first MMR dose at 12–15 months and the second at 4–6 years.
3. Know the symptoms. Measles starts with high fever, cough, runny nose, and red watery eyes — followed by a rash that begins on the face and spreads downward. The rash appears about 3–5 days after symptoms start.
4. Measles spreads before the rash appears. An infected person is contagious from 4 days before to 4 days after the rash appears.
5. Call before visiting a clinic. If you suspect measles exposure, call your healthcare provider before going in — walk-in visits can expose others in waiting rooms.

Is There a Measles Outbreak in Tennessee Right Now?

Our Tennessee measles tracker reflects the most current data from Johns Hopkins and CDC sources, updated weekly. Case counts change as states report and reclassify, so the tracker is the best place for up-to-date numbers.

Other Health Data for Tennessee

• Tennessee flu activity — Current ILI% surveillance data
• Tennessee RSV activity — Hospital admissions
• Tennessee COVID-19 activity — ER visit data
• What’s going around in Tennessee? — Full health dashboard for all conditions

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Data updated weekly. See the Tennessee measles dashboard for the latest confirmed case count.