Kansas is now home to the largest tuberculosis outbreak ever recorded in the United States. As of Jan. 17, public health officials issued a report stating 66 active cases and 79 latent infections in the Kansas City metro area, primarily in Wyandotte County. The outbreak, which has been ongoing since at least 2021, was traced back to Kansas residents who visited the Federated States of Micronesia. The ongoing crisis has overwhelmed the local health department, already stretched thin by the COVID-19 pandemic. With the Trump administration halting public messaging from health agencies, it's unclear how this crucial information will be communicated moving forward. According to the Centers for Disease Control, this outbreak serves as a stark reminder that TB is not a thing of the past.
Should the government step in to provide more support for Kansas?