Tuberculosis (TB) continues to be the leading infectious cause of death worldwide, claiming around 1.23 million lives in 2024, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The UN health agency released the figures on Wednesday, warning that the progress made in recent years remains fragile.
The WHO’s annual report shows that TB-related deaths dropped by about three percent compared to 2023, while new infections declined by nearly two percent. Despite this improvement, the disease still poses a major global health challenge.
In total, an estimated 10.7 million people contracted TB in 2024 — including 5.8 million men, 3.7 million women, and 1.2 million children.
Tuberculosis, which is both preventable and curable, is caused by bacteria that primarily attack the lungs. It spreads through the air when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or spits.
Eight countries accounted for roughly two-thirds of all TB cases last year. India topped the list with 25 percent, followed by Indonesia (10 percent), the Philippines (6.8 percent), China (6.5 percent), Pakistan (6.3 percent), Nigeria (4.8 percent), the Democratic Republic of Congo (3.9 percent), and Bangladesh (3.6 percent).
The report identifies undernutrition, HIV infection, diabetes, smoking, and alcohol use disorder as the five main factors fueling the TB epidemic. The disease remains the leading cause of death among people living with HIV, with about 150,000 deaths reported last year.
In 2024, about 8.3 million people were newly diagnosed and received TB treatment, with the global treatment success rate improving from 68 percent to 71 percent. Since the year 2000, WHO estimates that timely treatment interventions have saved approximately 83 million lives.
