Metro Public Health Department has confirmed Nashville’s first measles case of 2026, saying an unvaccinated person was contagious while out in public over the July Fourth weekend. Health officials stressed they do not consider the situation an ongoing threat to the wider public, but they have identified multiple exposure sites and are tracking down possible contacts.
Exposure locations and timing
The patient moved around a fair bit while infectious, according to MPHD. The department listed several locations where the person was present during specific time windows: Waxing the City (1108 Gallatin Avenue), Goodwill (2101 Gallatin Pike N), Swett’s Restaurant (2725 Clifton Avenue), Publix (1111 Gallatin Avenue), Dino’s Bar and Grill (411 Gallatin Avenue), Limo Peruvian Eatery (1008 Fatherland Street) and Paul’s Corner (824 Porter Road). Those visits took place between July 1 and July 4.
Officials say anyone who was at those businesses during the listed time frames should keep an eye on their health and watch for symptoms in the coming days. The exposure list and timing were provided by the health department and summarized by WSMV.
Where to get vaccinated
To keep this from turning into something bigger, MPHD is pushing vaccination. The measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine is available by appointment at all Metro preventive health clinics Monday through Friday, and walk-ins are accepted until 2:30 p.m.
Appointments can be made at East Nashville Public Health Center (1015 East Trinity Lane, 615-862-7916), Lentz Public Health Center (2500 Charlotte Avenue, 615-340-5607), and Woodbine Public Health Center (224 Oriel Avenue, 615-862-7940), according to the Metro Public Health Department. The department also notes that eligible children may receive federally funded vaccines through the Vaccines for Children program.
National picture and vaccine effectiveness
The Centers for Disease Control reports 2,231 confirmed measles cases in the United States in 2026 as of July 9, and the agency says about 93% of those cases have been linked to outbreaks. The CDC also notes that two doses of the MMR vaccine are about 97% effective at preventing measles, while one dose is about 93% effective, a reminder of why local officials are urging people to get fully vaccinated now. CDC
What to watch for and next steps
Measles does not hit immediately. Symptoms typically appear 7 to 14 days after exposure and can include a high fever, cough, runny nose, red and watery eyes, followed by a spreading rash.
MPHD is asking anyone who was at the listed locations during the posted windows to reach out to their healthcare provider for guidance rather than just showing up unannounced, and to cooperate with public health investigators if they are contacted, as reported by WSMV.
