World TB Day

World TB Day, held on March 24 each year, is an occasion for people around the world to raise awareness about the devastating health and economic consequences of tuberculosis (TB) and to elicit support for TB prevention and control activities.

In 2023, 21 Minnesota counties reported a total of 160 new cases of active TB disease, compared to 132 in 2022. The number of TB cases declined during the COVID-19 pandemic, but TB rates are returning to pre-pandemic levels. TB is not an illness from the past. An estimated 10.6 million people worldwide became sick with TB disease in 2022. It continues to be one of the deadliest diseases globally. TB can be cured with proper medical care, yet it still kills over 1.3 million people every year, including around 600 in the United States. Drug resistance to TB medications continues to be a concern.

The number of active TB cases is only the tip of the iceberg. For every person with active TB, many more have latent TB infection (LTBI). The World Health Organization estimates that close to a quarter of the world’s population is infected with TB. Overall, 5-10% of them will develop active TB unless they receive treatment for LTBI. In addition to treating people with active TB, we must promote screening and treatment of persons at greatest risk of developing active disease.

• TB Basics
  General information about TB.
• MDH TB Prevention and Control Program
  Program activities, objectives, and contact information.
• TB Statistics
  TB data and analysis of TB trends in Minnesota.
• World TB Day 2024
  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Division of Tuberculosis Elimination (DTBE) World TB Day site.
• World TB Day 2024
  World Health Organization's World TB Day site.