KODIAK, Alaska—
Alaska's deputy state epidemiologist says Alaska has the highest tuberculosis rates in the country.
Making matters worse, the Kodiak Daily Mirror reports that doctors now face shortages of tuberculosis detection and treatment medicines. Dr. Michael Cooper says there is a national shortage and that has the state asking people to put on hold some of the routine screening for at-risk people.
In 2011, Alaska had 9.3 tuberculosis reports per 100,000 people. The national average was 3.4 cases per 100,000 people.
