Tuberculosis Is Surging in Chicago — A Disease the World Thought It Had Under Control

Illinois recorded 353 active tuberculosis cases in 2023, with 154 concentrated in Chicago alone. Experts call what’s happening now a “rebound effect” from COVID-era disruptions — and preliminary data suggests 2025 case counts may have climbed another 10 to 20 percent nationally. The question is why city and state officials did not act sooner.