More than 60 people were being treated in the Kansas City area as of Friday, according to the state health department.
Tuberculosis spreads through germs released when a person with TB in their lungs coughs, speaks or sings. These bacteria can stay in the air for prolonged periods of time and are more likely to spread to other people indoors and in poorly-ventilated spaces.
There is a vaccine aimed at preventing TB called Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG), but it’s not commonly used in the U.S., according to the CDC. However, many people born outside the U.S. have gotten the vaccine.
A CDC spokesperson identified two outbreaks in the last decade linked to more tuberculosis cases than the ongoing outbreak centered in Wyandotte County.
An outbreak of tuberculosis in the Kansas City area has grown into one of the largest ever recorded in the United States, with dozens of active cases of the infectious disease reported, according to health officials.
In late January 2025, news outlets reported on an outbreak of tuberculosis (TB) in the Kansas City, Kansas, area. According to several of these reports, and posts sharing the news on social media, the outbreak was "unprecedented,
Kansas City is currently facing the largest documented tuberculosis (TB) outbreak in the United States. According to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), there are 67 active TB cases and 79 latent cases,
A Whitehall high school is urging testing after a student tested positive for tuberculosis. A letter dated Jan. 29 was sent to parents from Whitehall-Yearling High School principal Dr. Maria Boyarko,
You don’t need to have the vaccine to attend colleges in Kansas, but some do require you to get tested for tuberculosis before enrolling and going to classes on campus, like at the University of Kansas.
Health officials in Kansas have reported a tuberculosis outbreak in the northeastern part of the state, with 67 active cases since 2024, marking one of the largest outbreaks in recorded history of the United States. Texas so far isn't seeing any such outbreak.
A large, ongoing tuberculosis outbreak in Kansas has sickened at least 67 and caused two deaths. What to know about TB symptoms, transmission, and treatment.