A U.S. health official claims an ongoing tuberculosis (TB) outbreak in Kansas is the largest on record, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) disputes this, attributing it to a long-standing epidemic that began in 2008 at an Atlanta homeless shelter. As of January 24, Kansas reports 67 active TB infections linked to the outbreak, with 79 cases of latent TB since 2024 and two reported deaths. The CDC notes more than 170 active cases and over 400 inactive TB cases as of 2017. Meanwhile, the U.S. typically sees rising TB cases post-pandemic, with 9,633 reported in 2023—a 15% increase from 2022. Kansas health officials emphasize the threat to the public remains very low, though high-risk groups include international travelers, those in large communal settings, recent TB contacts, and individuals with weakened immune systems.
Source: https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2025-01-27/kansas-says-tuberculosis-outbreak-is-largest-in-recorded-u-s-history-what-to-know