The ‘Victorian disease’ making a comeback in the UK that expert says is ‘a ticking time bomb’
manchestereveningnews.co.ukFollowing a massive outbreak in a US state, UK health bosses have warned cases of tuberculosis are rising in England. Kansas officials say the state is facing an unprecedented outbreak of the infectious disease, with Kansas City recording dozens of infections and at least two deaths.
An expert in bacteriology has warned the UK is also at risk of a “serious outbreak” of tuberculosis, also called TB, claiming the infection is “definitely something to worry about”.
The disease remains a “serious public health issue” in England as TB cases rose by 13 per cent last year, the latest data from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) says.
Rates of infection rose from 8.5 per 100,000 population in 2023 to 9.5 per 100,000 in 2024. Tuberculosis was the leading cause of death in Victorian England, killing around four million people between 1851 and 1910.
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