Tennessee
Tick bites rising in 2026: Symptoms, diseases to watch in Tennessee
Uptick in tick season
FOX 5 NY’s Jodi Goldberg has the details.
Fox – 5 NY
Tennessee has entered peak tick season and according to experts, this year could be one of the worst on record.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Tick Bite Data Tracker, which uses real‑time emergency room surveillance, shows weekly tick‑bite ER visits are higher than historic averages in every U.S. region except the South Central states, with the Northeast recording the highest levels so far in 2026.
During the fourth week of April, about 114 out of every 100,000 emergency department visits nationwide were for tick bites, the highest rate for this point in the year since at least 2017, the CDC said.
Emergency room visits for tick bites in the Southeast, including Tennessee, have risen in the month of April over the past five years, per CDC data. The rate increased from 29 visits per 100,000 people in 2021 to 50 this year, an overall jump of about 72%.
Here’s everything to know about the diseases ticks carry and what symptoms to look out for.
What diseases do ticks carry?
According to the CDC, some ticks can carry pathogens that can lead to human disease, including:
- Alpha-gal syndrome
- Anaplasmosis
- Babesiosis
- Bourbon virus
- Colorado tick fever
- Ehrlichiosis
- Hard tick relapsing fever
- Heartland virus
- Lyme disease
- Powassan virus
- Rickettsia parkeri rickettsiosis
- Rocky Mountain spotted fever
- Soft tick relapsing fever
- STARI
- Tularemia
- 364D rickettsiosis
What are the symptoms of tickborne diseases?
The CDC recommends consulting a healthcare provider if you are bitten by a tick and develop the following symptoms within a few weeks:
- Fever/chills. All tickborne diseases can cause fever.
- Aches and pains. Tickborne diseases can cause headache, fatigue and muscle aches. People with Lyme disease might also have joint pain.
- Rash. Lyme disease, Southern tick-associated rash illness (STARI), Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF), ehrlichiosis and tularemia can cause distinctive rashes.
What is tick paralysis?
Tick paralysis is believed to be caused by a toxin in the saliva of an attached tick.
People with tick paralysis can experience weakness or paralysis that gradually moves up the body. These symptoms can sometimes resemble other neurologic conditions (for example, Guillain-Barré syndrome or botulism).
Patients typically regain movement within 24 hours of removing the tick, wrote the CDC.
How do ticks spread disease?
Ticks spread disease while feeding on a host’s blood.
After finding a spot, they latch onto the skin, cut into it, and insert a feeding tube that helps them stay attached. According to the CDC, some ticks release a substance to hold themselves in place and saliva with mild anesthetic effects, which makes the bite hard to feel.
Feeding can last from minutes to several days, depending on the species. During this time, ticks can both pick up pathogens from an infected host and transmit them through their saliva, added the CDC.
Once finished, they drop off and can pass any acquired diseases to a new host during their next feeding.
What types of ticks are common in Tennessee?
There are several common tick species in Tennessee. Here are the ones you’re most likely to encounter around your yard, according to All-American Pest Control Inc., a Middle Tennessee based pest control company:
- Lone star ticks: Common across the state, these ticks are the least likely of the three to bite humans. They are named for the distinctive white spot found on the backs of adult females.
- American dog ticks (wood ticks): Larger in size, these ticks have reddish‑brown bodies with white or yellow markings. Dogs and humans are their primary hosts.
- Black‑legged ticks (deer ticks): The smallest of the common Tennessee ticks, black‑legged ticks are most often linked to disease transmission, though all three species can spread various illnesses.
Where are ticks most commonly found in Tennessee?
Ticks are outdoor pests.
While they can be carried indoors on people or pets, they cannot survive inside for long due to the lower humidity levels in houses.
Outdoors, ticks can appear in many areas, but they favor dense vegetation and moist environments. They’re most likely to be found in the following places:
- Tall grass
- Overgrown lawns
- Wooded areas
- Tree lines
- Leaf litter
- Brush piles
- Yard edges
- Fence lines
- Parks
- Trails
Contributing: USA TODAY
Diana Leyva covers trending news and service journalism for The Tennessean. Contact her at Dleyva@gannett.com.
BRISTOL, Va. (WCYB) — As schools get ready to start the 2026-2027 school year, News 5 has a complete list of school start dates across our region.
Tennessee:
Bristol, TN City Schools: August 3rd (half-day)
Carter County, TN Schools: August 7th
Elizabethton, TN City Schools: August 7th (abbreviated day)
Greeneville, TN City Schools: August 5th (abbreviated day)
Greene County, TN Schools: August 7th
Hawkins County, TN Schools: August 3rd (Early dismissal at 11:30 a.m.)
Johnson City, TN Schools: August 3rd
Johnson County, TN Schools: August 3rd (half-day)
Kingsport, TN City Schools: August 3rd
Sullivan County, TN Schools: August 3rd
Unicoi County, TN Schools: August 10th (Early dismissal)
Washington County, TN Schools: August 3rd
Virginia:
Bristol, VA City Schools: August 10th
Buchanan County, VA Schools: August 21st
Dickenson County, VA Schools: August 6th
Lee County, VA Schools: August 6th
Norton, VA City Schools: August 10th (Early dismissal at 12:30 p.m.)
Russell County, VA Schools: August 7th
Scott County, VA Schools: August 17th
Smyth County, VA Schools: August 11th
Washington County, VA Schools: August 7th
Wise County, VA Schools: August 6th (early dismissal at 12:30 p.m.)
Kentucky:
Leslie County, KY: August 26th
Letcher County, KY: August 13th
The Tennessee Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at July 18, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from July 18 drawing
09-14-44-50-56, Powerball: 03, Power Play: 4
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Lotto America numbers from July 18 drawing
13-17-22-28-40, Star Ball: 03, ASB: 02
Check Lotto America payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 3 numbers from July 18 drawing
Morning: 7-6-5, Wild: 5
Midday: 7-3-3, Wild: 9
Evening: 1-3-4, Wild: 6
Check Cash 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 4 numbers from July 18 drawing
Morning: 4-6-3-4, Wild: 0
Midday: 1-1-5-2, Wild: 0
Evening: 3-3-7-5, Wild: 3
Check Cash 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Daily Tennessee Jackpot numbers from July 18 drawing
17-19-26-27-31
Check Daily Tennessee Jackpot payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from July 18 drawing
05-11-25-26-64, Powerball: 11
Check Powerball Double Play payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from July 18 drawing
18-23-28-32-49, Bonus: 03
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
All Tennessee Lottery retailers will redeem prizes up to $599.
For prizes over $599, winners can submit winning tickets through the mail or in person at Tennessee Lottery offices. By mail, send a winner claim form, winning lottery ticket, a copy of a government-issued ID and proof of social security number to P.O. Box 290636, Nashville, TN 37229. Prize claims less than $600 do not require a claim form. Please include contact information on prizes claimed by mail in the event we need to contact you.
To submit in person, sign the back of your ticket, fill out a winner claim form and deliver the form, along with the ticket and government-issued ID and proof of social security number to any of these locations:
Nashville Headquarters & Claim Center: 26 Century Blvd., Nashville, TN 37214, 615-254-4946 in the (615) and (629) area, 901-466-4946 in the (901) area, 865-512-4946 in the (865) area, 423-939-7529 in the (423) area or 1-877-786-7529 (all other areas in Tennessee). Outside Tennessee, dial 615-254-4946. Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes of any amount.
Knoxville District Office: Cedar Springs Shopping Center, 9298 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37922, (865) 251-1900. Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $199,999.
Chattanooga District Office: 2020 Gunbarrel Rd., Suite 106, Chattanooga, TN 37421, (423) 308-3610. Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $199,999.
Memphis District Office: Chiles Plaza, 7424 U.S. Highway 64, Suite 104, Memphis, TN 38133, (901) 322-8520. Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $199,999.
Check previous winning numbers and payouts at https://tnlottery.com/.
When are the Tennessee Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10:00 p.m. CT Tuesday and Friday.
- Cash 3, 4: Daily at 9:28 a.m. (Morning) and 12:28 p.m. CT (Midday), except for Sunday. Evening game daily, seven days a week, at 6:28 p.m. CT.
- Daily Tennessee Jackpot: 9:00 p.m. CT daily.
- Tennessee Cash: 10:34 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
- Powerball Double Play: 10:30 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Millionaire for Life: 10:15 p.m. CT daily.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Tennessean editor. You can send feedback using this form.
A Tennessee fugitive who was accused of rape and fled to Alaska was arrested in Ketchikan on Saturday, U.S. Marshals say.
Michael Shane Vaughan, 46, was arrested with the help of the Ketchikan Police Department early Saturday, Deputy U.S. Marshal Christian Marrero said in an emailed statement.
Vaughan was wanted by the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department on two counts of rape, according to the U.S. Marshals Service. He was last seen in Nashville in September of last year after the incident, U.S. Marshals said.
On Friday, the U.S. Marshals Middle Tennessee Fugitive Task Force asked for the public’s help in locating Vaughan, saying he may be in Alaska because he previously told relatives he would flee to the state, where he has ties and previously live.
It’s unclear how police learned Vaughan was in Ketchikan or what he was doing in Southeast Alaska.
Marrero didn’t immediately respond to questions on Saturday morning about the arrest and what led to it.
Vaughan was jailed at the Ketchikan Correctional Center as of Saturday morning, according to an online jail roster.
U.S. Marshals said he would remain in custody until extradited to Tennessee.
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