Fact checked by Nick Blackmer A tuberculosis (TB) outbreak in the Kansas City area has gained national attention this week, with headlines claiming it’s the “largest outbreak in U.S. history” since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) started recording cases in the 1950s.

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.

Stay informed about the ongoing tuberculosis outbreak in Kansas City. Learn about the symptoms, confirmed cases, and precautions to take.

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.

More than 60 people were being treated in the Kansas City area as of Friday, according to the state health department.

The state has seen tuberculosis cases double between 2023 and 2024, with the CDC offering support on the ground.

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,

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.

Dr. Jerome Adams, the Surgeon General during President Donald Trump’s first administration, is sounding the alarm on his former boss’s actions and disease outbreaks in the U.S. and around the world. Adams,

An Ohio 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

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.