The Ledger · Entry 23
The world's oldest great killer takes far fewer lives
Tuberculosis deaths per 100,000 people worldwide
Data: Our World in Data, based on the WHO Global Tuberculosis Report
Tuberculosis has probably killed more people over history than any other infection, and it is still among the deadliest. But the death rate has fallen by more than two-thirds this century, from 47.7 deaths per 100,000 people in 2000 to 14.7 in 2024, as testing improved and antibiotic courses reached more of the people who needed them.
The key rows
The fall stalled around 2020, when the pandemic disrupted TB services and diagnoses dropped. The disease still kills more than a million people a year, drug-resistant strains are harder to cure, and progress leans on funding that has wavered. The trend is down, but it is not guaranteed.
Asked often
Is the tuberculosis death rate falling?
Yes. The global TB death rate fell from 47.7 deaths per 100,000 people in 2000 to 14.7 in 2024, though progress stalled during the pandemic years.
Why does tuberculosis still kill so many people?
TB is slow, often hidden, and needs months of combination antibiotics to cure. Undiagnosed cases, drug-resistant strains, and gaps in funding keep the toll high even as the rate falls.
The world also got better today.
The long lines above are made of single days. We find each day's and send you the proof every morning. Free, forever.
Free forever, no spam. One click to unsubscribe, and we never sell your email.