Health fears are growing in Maine after three residents tested positive for tuberculosis, the world’s deadliest disease. Officials confirmed the patients are from the Greater Portland area, with no links between them, suggesting separate sources of infection.
The U.S. has seen a steady rise in tuberculosis. More than 10,000 cases were reported in 2024, the highest since 2011. Still, experts stress the risk to the general public remains low. “The vast majority of people do not need to worry,” said Dr. Dora Anne Mills of MaineHealth.
Tuberculosis is highly dangerous if untreated, killing nearly half of patients. The World Health Organization says it claims 1.25 million lives worldwide each year. Symptoms include a cough lasting more than three weeks, chest pain, weight loss, fever, and night sweats.
Unlike flu or Covid, tuberculosis spreads only through close, prolonged contact with an infected person. Doctors can treat it with antibiotics, and vaccines help prevent infection. “It’s not spread through casual contact like shaking hands,” Mills explained.
This news is a strong reminder: stay alert to symptoms, protect loved ones, and discuss—should vaccines be more widely offered in the U.S.?
