The most recent complete annual statistics on the incidence of tuberculosis in Ireland relate to 1998 and these indicate that, nationally, there were 424 cases of the disease in that year. Up to the mid-1990s there had been a steady decline in the incidence of this disease. Since then, the number has remained at 400-500 cases per year.
The number of cases by health board for the years 1997 and 1998 are contained in the following table. Provisional figures for the number of cases in each health board area in 1999 are also indicated. These will be the subject of validation in the course of the year and, in the case of the North-Eastern Health Board, are not yet complete.