Tennessee
New strain of tuberculosis cases in Tennessee is resistant to treatment options
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — More than 10,000 Americans and 141 Tennesseans tested positive for tuberculosis in 2025, according to recently released data from the CDC.
We spoke with Dr. Schaffner, a Professor of Infectious Diseases at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, about the impact this bacterial infection has on Tennesseans.
FHO TUBERCULOSIS CASES IN TN 4.11.26
“It’s a bacterial infection spread through close personal contact. It mostly involves the lungs, but can get to other parts of the body. Now, once infected most of the time, most people fight off the infection. They never get sick. Some do, we call that acute tuberculosis, but the bug can live within us, quietly, hibernating like a bear in a cave, and then it can wake up after 10,15, 20 years, and cause what we call reactivation tuberculosis, said Dr. Schaffner, Professor of Infectious Diseases, Vanderbilt University Medical Center.”
One misconception many people may not be aware of is that there is no readily available vaccine for tuberculosis, as it’s not commonly administered in the U.S.
It’s intended to protect young children from severe forms of TB disease, as it offers limited protection for adults.
Many tuberculosis strains are now resistant to the 60-plus-year-old antibiotics that remain a common first-line treatment.
“We don’t have a vaccine against tuberculosis, yet. People are really working on that, because tuberculosis continues to be the major infectious disease killer around the world. So there would be a global need for this vaccine. Here in the United States, we try to identify cases, get them treated, examine all their contacts to make sure that they did or did not get the illness, and if they did, treat the contacts also, said Dr. Schaffner, Professor of Infectious Diseases, Vanderbilt University Medical Center.”
The overall message that health experts want to reiterate is the importance of knowing your status and talking with your primary care doctor if you come in contact with this disease.
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CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — New TCAP results are giving parents their first look at how students performed across Southeast Tennessee during the 2025-26 school year.
Among the districts in the Chattanooga area, Dayton City Schools posted the highest proficiency rates in English language arts and social studies, while Rhea County led the region in math.
Here’s how districts in the Tennessee portion of the NewsChannel 9 viewing area performed:
Hamilton County:
- English language arts: 40.3%
- Math: 39.9%
- Social studies: 49.7%
Bradley County:
- English language arts: 45.1%
- Math: 43.5%
- Social studies: 46.7%
Marion County:
- English language arts: 37.9%
- Math: 30.6%
- Social studies: 43.3%
Grundy County:
- English language arts: 32.1%
- Math: 30.7%
- Social studies: 39.4%
Sequatchie County:
- English language arts: 34.1%
- Math: 32.0%
- Social studies: 46.4%
Bledsoe County:
- English language arts: 39.8%
- Math: 34.8%
- Social studies: 49.8%
Rhea County:
- English language arts: 44.0%
- Math: 46.1%
- Social studies: 51.4%
Meigs County:
- English language arts: 37.3%
- Math: 32.2%
- Social studies: 41.0%
McMinn County:
- English language arts: 41.1%
- Math: 39.5%
- Social studies: 50.0%
Polk County:
- English language arts: 35.1%
- Math: 27.2%
- Social studies: 43.0%
Cleveland City Schools:
- English language arts: 33.9%
- Math: 31.3%
- Social studies: 36.0%
Dayton City Schools:
- English language arts: 45.7%
- Math: 45.2%
- Social studies: 63.9%
Richard Hardy Memorial School:
- English language arts: 23.6%
- Math: 25.0%
- Social studies: 21.4%
Etowah City Schools:
- English language arts: 34.0%
- Math: 34.0%
- Social studies: 30.6%
Several local districts finished above the statewide proficiency average.
Bradley County, Rhea County and Dayton City exceeded the state average in both English language arts and math.
Rhea County and Dayton City also outperformed the statewide average in social studies, while McMinn County matched the state average in that subject.
Hamilton County school leaders are expected to present a more detailed look at the district’s TCAP results during Thursday night’s school board meeting.
Depend on us to keep you posted.
WHITE HOUSE, Tenn. (WZTV) — A heavy law enforcement presence was reported Tuesday near the intersection of U.S. Highway 31W and Rolling Meadows Road in White House.
FOX 17 News has a crew headed to the scene and is working to learn more about the situation.
Law enforcement vehicles line a roadway near the intersection of U.S. Highway 31W and Rolling Meadows Road in White House, Tennessee, as authorities respond to an active incident on Tuesday. Officials had not released details about the investigation at the time the photo was taken. (Photo: FOX 17 News )
A viewer told FOX 17 News a man was barricaded inside a home with other people inside. However, FOX 17 News has not independently confirmed those details.
Once at the scene, FOX 17 News learned that a man who was inside the home during the operation had exited the residence. FOX 17 News is working to obtain more information on the incident that is now subsiding.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
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