Brits are being warned to watch for certain symptoms that could indicate the return of a grim Victorian-era illness. This follows the establishment of a specialist panel to address rising tuberculosis (TB) cases.
Data from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) reveals that during the three years preceding 2024, an average of 210 individuals were diagnosed with TB annually, representing an infection rate of 17.9 per 100,000 people.
Wolverhampton’s three-year average stands at 61 cases with an infection rate of 22.3 per 100,000.
Sandwell recorded 63 cases with a rate of 17.9, whilst Coventry saw 72 cases at 19.9 per 100,000 residents. The Birmingham and Solihull TB Programme Board will help prevent the disease and reduce its impact locally, Birmingham Public Health said.
Throughout the entire West Midlands region, reports of this lung infection surged by over a fifth between 2023 and 2024, marking the steepest increase of any English region.
The UKHSA has additionally documented a 13% rise in tuberculosis cases nationwide in 2024 compared to the previous year.
However, England currently has a notification rate of 9.4 per 100,000 population. While this marks a rise above the pre-pandemic figure of 8.36 per 100,000 in 2019, it stays beneath this century’s highest point of 15.6 notifications per 100,000 population recorded in 2011, UKHSA said.
TB is a bacterial infection that primarly targets the lungs and transmits through airborne particles. The disease was widespread during Victorian times but had been virtually eliminated through vaccination programmes and antibiotic treatments, until a fairly recent resurgence.
Warning signs of TB include a cough persisting beyond three weeks, a loss of appetite, fever, sweating at night, and unexplained weight loss. Though potentially deadly, TB remains curable when identified early and treated quickly with a targeted antibiotic protocol.
Early diagnosis is vital.
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