An increase has been reported in people falling ill with tuberculosis for the first time in many years. Source: World Health Organization (WHO), Twitter.
The number of tuberculosis cases has seen an increase globally for the first time in years, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
According to WHO’s 2022 Global TB report, 10.6 million people fell ill with tuberculosis (TB) in 2021 which was a 4.5 per cent increase from 2020. 1.6 million died from TB, including 187,000 among HIV positive people.
Many new TB cases are attributed to five risk factors: undernutrition, HIV infection, alcohol use disorders, smoking and diabetes.
The organisation said the pandemic had a damaging and ongoing impact on access to diagnosis and treatment, and progress made before 2019 has “slowed, stalled or reversed”. Conflicts in eastern Europe, Africa and the Middle East have worsened the situation for vulnerable populations.
With the challenges in the way of providing and accessing essential TB services, many people with TB were not diagnosed or treated. Lockdowns, distancing protocols and other COVID-19 restrictions hindered treatment services and may have forced some to stay home to avoid catching coronavirus, rather than going to a health facility.
Last year there were challenges in providing TB treatment and services. This resulted in many people going undiagnosed and untreated.
Newly-diagnosed people living with TB is below the pre #COVID19 pandemic level.
Let’s close this gap.
? https://t.co/0Zg4RFWjp6 pic.twitter.com/bTIwNSPwHI
— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) October 27, 2022
The number of people reported to have been newly diagnosed with TB fell from 7.1 million in 2019 to 5.8 million in 2020. The number went up to 6.4 million in 2021, though that figure is still well below pre-pandemic levels.
The UN health agency called on countries in its report to put urgent measures in place for improving access to essential TB services
“If the pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that with solidarity, determination, innovation and the equitable use of tools, we can overcome severe health threats,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.
“Let’s apply those lessons to tuberculosis. It is time to put a stop to this long-time killer. Working together, we can end TB.”
The Global TB report said that tuberculosis will replace COVID-19 to once again be the leading cause of death worldwide from single infectious agent.
