WHO: 20 years later, tuberculosis cases are on the rise again in the world

On Thursday 27th, the World Health Organization (WHO) launched a warning about tuberculosis (TB), a disease that many consider extinct but whose cases have increased in the past year. This is the first time in 20 years🇧🇷 According to the World Health Organization, the disease killed about 1.6 million people in 2021.

Last year’s death toll represents a 14% growth over two years. TB deaths reached 1.4 million in 2019 and 1.5 million in 2020, according to the global health organization. For Tereza Kasaeva, director of the UN health agency’s global tuberculosis program, this is no longer a problem. “important moment” in the fight against the disease.

WHO data estimates that at least 10.6 million people will develop TB in 2021 – a 4.5% growth compared to 2020. The majority of people who contracted TB last year, according to the updated edition of the agency’s annual Global TB report. in Southeast Asia (45%), Africa (23%), and the Western Pacific (18%)🇧🇷

Why are tuberculosis cases increasing?

WHO’s perception is that the resurgence of tuberculosis is related to covid-19. With 629 million cases, the pandemic “continues to have a detrimental impact”, according to the global report Access to tuberculosis diagnosis and treatment🇧🇷

In conclusion, all progress made in the fight against bacterial diseases by 2019 “reduced, stopped or reversed”🇧🇷 As a result, the TB incidence rate, measured in new cases per 100,000 people per year, which has historically fallen by about 2% per year over the past two decades, has increased by 3.6% between 2020 and 2021.

WHO’s main concern Is tuberculosis replacing covid-19? as the “leading cause of death worldwide from a single infectious agent”.