Tuberculosis, a serious public health concern in India and globally, surpassed Covid-19 to emerge as the leading infectious disease killer in 2023. Mumbai doctors explain the causes, symptoms and effects of the deadly disease
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Key Highlights
- WHO`s new report says about 8.2 million people were newly diagnosed with tuberculosis
- The global burden of TB cases lies primarily in 30 countries, with India leading at 26 pct
- Common symptoms of TB are persistent cough for more than 3 months, unexplained weight loss
According to the Global Tuberculosis Report 2024 released by the World Health Organisation (WHO) on October 29, approximately 8.2 million people were newly diagnosed with tuberculosis (TB) in 2023—the highest number recorded since WHO began global monitoring in 1995. This is almost a 9 per cent increase from 7.5 million cases reported in 2022, leading to TB returning to its place as the top infectious disease killer in 2023, which was temporarily occupied by Covid-19. Approximately 1.25 million people died due to TB last year.