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.

An ongoing tuberculosis outbreak in two Kansas counties has sickened dozens since January 2024. Health officials are raising the alarm over a large and ongoing tuberculosis (TB) outbreak in Kansas.

“While TB cases in Wyandotte and Johnson counties are getting attention, we want to assure our residents that what we’re seeing in Saline County is normal,” said Jason Tiller, Saline County Health Officer. “There is no immediate reason for concern. TB is preventable, treatable, and does not pose a general risk to the public.”

A yearlong outbreak of tuberculosis in the Kansas City, Kansas area has taken local experts aback, even if it does not appear to be the largest outbreak of the disease in U.S. history as a state health official claimed last week.

Common symptoms of active TB include coughing, chest pains, fever, fatigue and coughing up blood or phlegm. The airborne respiratory illness is usually transmitted during prolonged close contact with an infected person.

In today’s Health Alert, the tuberculosis outbreak continues to infect dozens of people in Kansas. Two people lost their lives last year, and right now, 67 people are being treated for active TB.

State health officials said that dozens of people in the Kansas City, Kan., area have the disease, which has drawn a federal response.

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.

A large outbreak of tuberculosis has been reported in Kansas; is tuberculosis a public health concern in Louisiana? Find out here.

The tuberculosis outbreak in Kansas has many people wondering if there is a vaccine for TB in the U.S. Here's what doctors want you to know about prevention.

Healthline also offers the following tips for preventing TB infections: Wash your hands often and cover your mouth when coughing or sneezing. Eat a nutritious diet and exercise regularly to keep your immune system strong.