Urgent health alert in UK as TB cases rise | United Kingdom | News

Recorded cases of “medieval illness” are on the rise, with health officials warning those with symptoms not to ignore them.

Tuberculosis (TB) was widespread in the 19th century, before the discovery of antibiotics and a vaccine. Yet cases are on the rise again, with an 11% increase in the last year, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).

Health officials are now calling the highly contagious virus a “serious public health problem in England,” with London as the epicenter.

The capital has the highest infection rates in the UK, according to a new report, with 18.7 cases per 100,000 people, earning it the nickname the ‘TB capital of Western Europe’ .

The report shows that cases have increased among both UK- and non-UK-born populations over the past year.

However, four out of five cases occurred in people born outside the UK, with most coming from countries where TB is more prevalent, such as Pakistan, Nigeria and Romania.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), symptoms include prolonged coughing, sometimes accompanied by blood, chest pain, weakness, fatigue, fever and weight loss. It is spread through the air when people with TB cough, sneeze or spit.

The symptoms are similar to the flu or covid, leading many people to view them as something less serious.

Dr Esther Robinson, head of the TB unit at UKHSA, said: “Not all persistent coughs, accompanied by fever, are caused by flu or Covid.

“A cough that usually contains mucus and lasts for more than three weeks can be caused by a range of other problems, including tuberculosis.

“Please speak to your GP if you think you might be at risk. »

Globally, there were 10.8 million infections in 2023, the highest figure since records began.

Of these infections, 1.25 million were fatal, making the disease more deadly than HIV and Covid.

The World Health Organization (WHO) previously attributed the rise to disruptions in diagnosis and treatment during Covid-related lockdowns.

Meanwhile, a separate report found a 3% increase in drug-resistant TB cases between 2020 and 2021.

Common symptoms of tuberculosis are:

• prolonged cough (sometimes with blood)
• chest pain
• weakness
• fatigue
• weight loss
• fever
• night sweats

The symptoms people experience depend on the part of the body affected by TB. Although tuberculosis usually affects the lungs, it can also affect the kidneys, brain, spine and skin.