DOH observes World Tuberculosis Day: ‘Public health vigilance can keep Hawaiʻi healthy’

The Hawaiʻi Department of Health is recognizing World Tuberculosis Day, March 24, 2025, by raising awareness about the ongoing public health threat posed by tuberculosis in the state.

In 2024, Hawaiʻi reported 116 cases of active tuberculosis (TB), with a population-adjusted rate nearly three times the national average. While TB case rates had been decreasing between 2015-2020, rates have been increasing since 2020 in Hawaiʻi, nationally and globally. This increase in TB cases, including a large outbreak in Kansas that started in 2024, highlights the ease with which TB can get reestablished within a community and the need for continued vigilance and public health prevention activities. Early identification and treatment protects the individual and prevents community spread.

Recognizing symptoms and seeking treatment

Symptoms of active TB include a prolonged cough of three weeks or longer, unexplained weight loss, fever, sweating at night, loss of appetite and feeling weak or tired. Persons with these symptoms are encouraged to get evaluated by their healthcare provider or get a TB test at a DOH TB clinic. TB infection can be diagnosed and treated effectively with oral medications prior to development of the contagious and more severe form of TB disease. Resources available to help individuals and clinicians diagnose and treat tuberculosis can be found at https://health.hawaii.gov/tb/.

Protecting Hawaiʻi’s workforce

To prevent the spread of TB, the State of Hawaiʻi requires TB clearance for employees in certain industries. Free TB clearance testing is available at 17 DOH locations statewide (click here to learn more).

The DOH works with public and private partners to expand community TB testing, identify high-risk individuals, and promote preventive treatment. Groups considered high risk for TB include:

• People from or who travel to countries with high rates of TB.
• People living in group settings (such as those in emergency shelters or correctional facilities)
• People with chronic health conditions (such as diabetes, chronic kidney disease and those with a weakened immune system).

Free examinations and treatment

Through community partnerships, the DOH TB Control Program seeks to prevent late diagnoses of TB, lasting lung damage and deaths, and to end transmission of this airborne infection in our communities, with a global goal of END TB for All.

The DOH TB Control Program provides free examinations and treatment to residents. For more information, call 808-832-5731 or visit health.hawaii.gov/tb.