World TB Day: Rising Cases and Funding Cuts Threaten TB Control in L.A. County

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The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health March 23 released its 2025 Tuberculosis or TB surveillance report, reporting a 3.4% increase in cases over the past year in Los Angeles County, bringing the total to 554 cases, the highest since 2016.

Public Health warns that this increase, combined with cuts to sustained funding, could reverse of progress, allowing more cases to go undetected and increasing the risk of community spread and more severe illness from a disease that is both preventable and curable.

Tuberculosis spreads through the air when a person with active disease coughs, speaks, or breathes. It spreads quietly because many people do not feel sick at first and may unknowingly spread it to others. The infection can remain inactive (latent) for years before becoming contagious and life-threatening.

What’s at Stake

TB treatment is effective, but only with months of consistent care and treatment. When care is delayed or interrupted:

  • People remain infectious longer
  • More cases go undetected
  • The disease spreads further in the community
  • The infection becomes more severe and harder to treat

Without sustained investment in early detection, treatment, and support, these risks grow, threatening both the people infected and broader community health. Preventing TB cases today also avoids hospitalizations and future outbreaks.

TB spreads through the air, especially in indoor spaces where people spend extended time together and in places where the disease is more common. When cases are not identified and treated early, people can unknowingly spread TB to others, allowing it to persist in the community. People with conditions like diabetes are also more likely to become sick after exposure, contributing to more severe outcomes.

Public Health works to stop TB and prevent further spread by:

  • Tracking TB to detect risks early and help prevent outbreaks
  • Providing expert clinical guidance, care and case management
  • Conducting contact investigations and outbreak response
  • Offering housing and nutritional support to help those infected complete their months-long treatment

In 2025 alone, these efforts included:

  • Over 4,200 nights of housing
  • More 3,000 grocery and gas vouchers to support treatment completion

These services are essential to preventing the spread if TB and could be reduced or lost without sustained funding.

“Tuberculosis is a disease of inequity that thrives in the shadows of poverty and housing instability, and the 3.4% rise in cases we’ve seen this year is a clear signal that we cannot afford to look away, said Barbara Ferrer, Ph.D., M.P.H., M.Ed., Director of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. “While every dollar cut from our budget is a direct blow to the vulnerable people who rely on us for life-saving treatment, we are taking action by bolstering our support for the broader medical community treating TB. Despite the current budgetary climate, Public Health launched the Southern California Regional Community of Practice to End TB in 2025 to provide essential training and guidance to community providers. This initiative ensures that even in the face of fiscal uncertainty, we are expanding the local capacity for the testing and treatment of TB infection to protect the health of all who live and work in Los Angeles County.”

As a visual reminder of the community’s shared commitment to ending tuberculosis, several Los Angeles County landmarks, including Los Angeles City Hall and Union Station, will be lit up in red on March 24 to commemorate World TB Day.

Public Health urges people at higher risk to speak with their provider about TB testing, including those born in or who have recently traveled to areas where TB is more common, as well as people with weakened immune systems. Early detection and treatment not only protect individual health but also help prevent the spread of TB across communities.

For individuals without access to healthcare services, TB testing and follow-up care is available at six Public Health centers throughout the County. For a list of clinics and contact information visit: http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/chs/phcenters.htm

For more information on TB services and to view the full 2025 TB Surveillance report, visit ph.lacounty.gov/tb/

Additional TB Resources

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