Seven refugees rehomed in Idaho have been diagnosed with active tuberculosis, a report claims.

The claim comes just months after health officials warned cases of the bacteria disease have increased for the first time in 23 years.

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare said the refugees in question arrived in the state alongside 4,650 others between 2011 and 2015, according to the report published by Breitbart.

Fears: Idaho officials have allegedly confirmed diagnoses of TB, pictured, in seven resettled refugees

Six other states have reported refugees diagnosed with active TB, Breitbart claims including Louisiana, Florida, Colorado, Indiana, Kentucky and North Dakota.

It does not elaborate on which countries the refugees came from, and when they were allegedly diagnosed in Idaho.

Since, Idaho has pulled out of the federal voluntary refugee resettlement program, VOLAG.

Daily Mail Online has contacted the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare for a comment.

Last year, 9,563 new TB illnesses were diagnosed, up from 9,406 the year before, according to preliminary CDC data released in March.

The claim comes just months after health officials warned cases of the disease, pictured, have increased for the first time in 23 years

That translates to about three cases per 100,000 people.

The rate was nearly three times higher 20 years ago, but it has been stalled at three since 2013.

Officials said they're not sure why TB cases are leveling off.

Philip LoBue, director of the CDC's division of tuberculosis elimination, told The Wall Street Journal: 'Right now it looks like progress has stalled in moving toward elimination.'

Tuberculosis is caused by bacteria that usually attack the lungs, and is spread through the air when an infectious person coughs or sneezes. If not treated properly, TB can be fatal.

It once was a major cause of death and illness, and in the late 1800s killed one out of every seven people living in the United States and Europe.

But the development of antibiotics and public health efforts succeeded in treating infections and tracking down those infected.

However, health officials have warned growing resistance to antibiotics could leave Americans - an the world - open to infection.



