Tuberculosis in Germany: what the RKI 2024 report reveals and what this means for Ukrainian migrants
According to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) report for 2024, Ukrainians rank third among people with tuberculosis in Germany
Ahead of World Tuberculosis Day, we are publishing key facts from the Robert Koch Institute’s (RKI) 2024 annual report.
In 2024, 4,391 new cases of tuberculosis were recorded in Germany, amounting to 5.2 per 100,000 population.
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The report notes that this figure fell by 1.9% compared to 2023.
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Among all those who fell ill in 2024, 75.7% had pulmonary forms of the disease, of which 83.2% were laboratory-confirmed.
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104 people died from the disease.
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76% of all cases were among people born outside Germany. Ukraine ranks third after Afghanistan and Romania.
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157 people were diagnosed with drug-resistant forms of the disease.
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Tuberculosis was also detected in 228 children under the age of 15.
Tuberculosis among Ukrainians in Germany
Tuberculosis was detected in 262 people born in Ukraine.
One in four cases (25.6%) among those born in Ukraine was detected thanks to mandatory screening under §36(4) IfSG upon moving into shared accommodation after entering Germany (67 out of 262 cases). This highlights the importance of early active detection.
Of all cases of drug-resistant tuberculosis, 60.5% are among people born in post-Soviet countries; those born in Ukraine account for the largest share — 66 cases.
This obliges health services to test for resistance immediately and to route treatment correctly.
In 2024, 28 cases of TB were recorded in children born in Ukraine (the same as in 2023). The vast majority of paediatric cases are detected through contact tracing, so timely notification of families and close contacts is critically important.
How §36 IfSG works (TB screening in collective accommodation)
Who it applies to: people placed in collective accommodation (Gemeinschaftsunterkünfte) — for example, asylum seekers, refugees and other newly arrived groups defined by state legislation. For these individuals, there is a legally mandated screening for active tuberculosis during or shortly after settlement. The aim is the early detection of active tuberculosis and the prevention of transmission.
What happens: for individuals aged 15 and over, a chest X-ray is usually performed; for pregnant women and children under 15, primary X-ray diagnosis is not used; instead, alternative risk assessment and examination protocols are employed. If the screening gives grounds to suspect TB, the person is referred for further diagnostic tests and, if necessary, treatment.
What is important to understand: Section 36 of the IfSG is a public health measure designed to protect the health of residents and the community; it is not a check on migration status. Such measures detect only active TB, whereas latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) requires separate testing and preventive treatment based on clinical indications.
Effectiveness in practice: in 2024, a quarter of all cases among people born in Ukraine (67 out of 262) were detected precisely through §36(4) IfSG screening, confirming its key role in early diagnosis.