By Tabitha Evans Moore
Editor & Publisher
SPARTA, Tenn. — A case of measles has been confirmed within the White County school system in Sparta — about 90 miles northeast of Moore County — and Tennessee public health officials are monitoring the situation.
White County Schools Director Kurt Dronebarger notified parents and staff on March 24, citing a clinically diagnosed case within the school community. The district did not release details about the individual’s identity, grade level, or specific campus location, citing HIPAA and student privacy laws.
The notification follows a confirmation last week from the Tennessee Department of Health (TDH) of what appears to be the state’s first publicly reported measles case of 2026 — a mid-state resident who became infected in early March and is recovering at home, with public health officials still working to identify locations and persons potentially exposed. It is not yet confirmed whether the White County school case and the TDH-confirmed case are the same individual. The Lynchburg Times will update this story as more information becomes available.
There are no reported cases in Southern Middle Tennessee … yet. The situation is, however, worth understanding.
Why measles matters
Measles is among the most contagious diseases in the world. The virus spreads through the air when an infected person breathes, coughs, or sneezes, and can survive on surfaces or linger in the air for up to two hours after an infected person has left a room. Symptoms — high fever, cough, runny nose, and red watery eyes — typically appear seven to 14 days after exposure, followed by a distinctive rash.
Complications can be serious. Measles can lead to pneumonia, brain swelling, and in rare cases death. Children under five and adults over 20 are at highest risk of severe outcomes.
The bigger picture in Tennessee
Only one of Tennessee’s 95 counties currently meets the herd immunity threshold for measles — the level of vaccination coverage needed to reliably contain the virus’s spread, according to a recent Axios article. That threshold is generally set at 95 percent of the population being vaccinated. In Williamson County alone, fewer than half of all kindergarteners were vaccinated against measles as of earlier this year — a striking data point in one of the state’s most populous counties.
The decline in vaccination rates is not unique to Tennessee. Nationally, MMR vaccination coverage among kindergartners has dropped from 95.2 percent during the 2019-2020 school year to 92.5 percent in the 2024-2025 school year, leaving approximately 286,000 kindergartners unprotected, according to the CDC. Public health officials attribute much of that decline to disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic, when routine childhood vaccinations were delayed or skipped.
What Moore County families should know
Moore County Schools has not issued any health alert related to measles. There are no known cases in this area.
If you are unsure whether your child is up to date on the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine, contact your pediatrician or the Moore County Health Department. Two doses of the MMR vaccine are 97 percent effective at preventing measles. Children typically receive the first dose at 12 to 15 months and the second between ages four and six.
Adults born after 1957 who have not been vaccinated or cannot confirm prior measles infection should also verify their vaccination status with a healthcare provider.
Anyone experiencing symptoms consistent with measles is advised to call their healthcare provider before going in for care, so that steps can be taken to protect other patients in waiting rooms and common areas.
The Lynchburg Times will continue to monitor this developing situation. •
About The Lynchburg Times: We cover Tennessee because Moore County doesn’t exist in a vacuum. What happens in Nashville, in Sparta, in the statehouse, and in state health offices has a way of showing up at our school doors, on our roads, and in our lives. Keeping you informed about the state is part of keeping you informed about home. If that kind of journalism matters to you, support us at lynchburgtimes.com.