Add thelocalreport.in As A Trusted Source
Tuberculosis (TB) infection Figures show cases are rising in England, as officials urge healthcare providers to pay attention to symptoms.
infectious cases bacterial disease There was an increase of almost 14 percent year on year in 2024 – the largest annual increase since national monitoring began. According to , officials recorded 5,490 TB notifications, up from 4,831 in 2023. UK Health and Safety Agency (UKHSA).
Provisional data shows potentially fatal cases Disease A further increase of 3.9 percent is expected in the first half of 2025.
This follows a 10.6 percent increase in cases in 2023, reversing a long-term downward trend in TB cases since the previous high in 2012.
The figures mean England is not on track to meet the World Health Organisation’s target of ending TB by 2035, which aims to reduce the number of patients suffering from TB by 90 per cent.
TB mainly affects the lungs, but it can affect any part of the body, including lymph nodes, bones, and the brain, causing meningitis. It spreads through coughing or sneezing of an infected person.
Although it is a potentially fatal condition, it can be cured if diagnosed early and treated with the right combination of specific antibiotics.
what are the symptoms?
Symptoms of TB include cough lasting more than three weeks, high temperature, night sweats, loss of appetite and unexplained weight loss. It can sometimes be confused with flu or Covid-19.
Although this is a potentially fatal condition in severe cases, it can be treated with antibiotics, but early detection is important.
In a warning posted on its website earlier this year, the UKHSA urged healthcare providers to keep communities aware of key symptoms, including a cough with mucus that lasts for several weeks.
Where are tuberculosis cases increasing?
Tuberculosis (TB) is caused by bacteria of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex. It spreads mainly through coughing and sneezing.
It is most common in urban areas, including London. However, the West Midlands, Yorkshire and the Humber and the South West also saw rapid increases.
Who is most at risk for tuberculosis?
Eight out of ten TB notifications in England last year involved people born outside the UK, the data shows.
Social deprivation and inequality are also clearly associated with people experiencing homelessness, drug and alcohol dependence, or coming into contact with the criminal justice system, who are at higher risk.
UKHSA data shows that those living in the most deprived areas of England experienced infection rates five times higher than those in the most affluent areas.