A leading medical expert has issued a stark warning about the resurgence of tuberculosis in the UK, revealing that severe forms of the disease are leaving young people "unable to walk." Professor Onn Min Kon, head of the tuberculosis service at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, told the Mirror that England is rapidly approaching a critical threshold that would see it lose its status as a low-incidence nation for TB.
Young Lives Devastated by Spinal Tuberculosis
Professor Kon described treating "productive young people in the prime of their lives" who are suddenly finding themselves paralysed by devastating spinal tuberculosis. While this extra-pulmonary form accounts for less than 10% of cases, its consequences are profound and long-lasting.
"These are individuals making a living and bringing up families, and suddenly they find they can't walk," the professor explained. "That has massive financial and rehabilitation implications for them."
England on Brink of Losing Low-TB Status
Notification rates for tuberculosis in England rose by 13% in 2024, with a further 1.5% increase in the first three quarters of 2025. With 5,480 cases recorded in England alone last year, the country now sits at 9.37 cases per 100,000 people - perilously close to the World Health Organisation's threshold of 10 cases that would reclassify it as a "medium incidence" country.
This would place England in the same category as nations like Albania, Romania and Egypt, marking the first time this century it has held such status. The professor noted that many people remain shocked when learning how many TB cases still occur annually in the UK.
Recent Outbreaks Highlight Growing Threat
The warning comes after an outbreak at an Amazon warehouse in Coventry saw 10 employees test positive for latent TB in September 2025. While Amazon stated deliveries remained unaffected and no additional cases were identified, union bosses urged temporary closure of the facility.
Coventry Labour MP Taiwo Owatemi emphasised that Amazon has a "clear responsibility" to both employees and the public regarding health and safety matters.
Changing Patterns of Infection
Professor Kon explained that the severity of presentations appears worse now, partially as a carryover from the COVID-19 pandemic. "People were ascribing their cough to COVID and lots of other infections, but in fact they were potentially harbouring infectious TB, and in a much more advanced phase," he said.
Traditionally concentrated in major urban centres like London, some of the biggest recent increases have occurred in areas previously regarded as low incidence. This shift underscores the importance of having TB specialists and nurses in every NHS trust across the country.
Global Factors Impacting UK Situation
The professor emphasised that "TB 'anywhere' is TB 'everywhere'" in our interconnected world. Increased mobility across borders through tourism and migration contributes to the UK's emerging TB picture.
He highlighted concerning international developments, including the cancellation of the USAID programme last year, which previously funded the best drugs for multi-drug resistant TB in countries like the Philippines. This loss of access to optimal medication has a "massive impact" on controlling treatment-resistant variants globally, which inevitably affects the UK.
At-Risk Populations and Screening
Prisons and homeless populations have emerged as particular hotspots for tuberculosis transmission in the UK, as the disease requires "quite a few hours" in enclosed spaces for infection to occur.
While existing screening targets people arriving from high-incidence countries staying more than six months, Professor Kon advocates extending programmes to include these at-risk settings. Recent outbreaks demonstrate that infection is now spreading among people who haven't travelled abroad.
The cost to the NHS has been substantial, with estimates exceeding £175 million over the last five years alone. As England stands on the brink of losing its low-TB status, medical experts urge renewed attention to what many considered a Victorian disease confined to history books.
