TB second leading cause of death worldwide after Covid, killing 1.6 million globally: Report

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World Tuberculosis Day: Due to the weakening of immunity after the outbreak of Corona, lung diseases have increased. According to health experts, the cases of tuberculosis have increased significantly due to Corona. At the same time, according to a report, the infectious disease TB is the second largest cause of death worldwide after Covid. According to the report, India has the highest number of TB cases in 2021 with more than 2.5 million cases, which is almost a quarter of the world. Cases are equal. In 2021, more than 5 lakh people died of TB in India. According to the report, 17 lakh people are suffering from latent TB. That is, this bacteria is present in the body but it is not necessary that it turns into a disease.

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What is tuberculosis?
Tuberculosis or TB disease is known as Tuberculosis. It is an infectious disease that spreads in the body due to infection with bacteria called Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which mainly affects the lungs. It can also spread to other people while the patient coughs sneezes and speaks. When a patient suffering from TB sneezes, coughs or spits, the TB bacteria spread in the air through the exhaled breath. These bacteria survive in the air for several hours and even healthy people can easily fall prey to them. When TB bacteria reach the lungs through the breath, it multiplies and damages the lungs, although the body's immunity prevents it from growing. But as this ability weakens, the risk of getting TB increases.

Symptoms of TB disease
cough for more than 3 weeks
chest pain
bleeding with phlegm
feeling weak
weight loss
sleep sweating

How Covid stopped the pace of treatment
Over the past two decades, treatment has saved 66 million lives globally from TB disease, but since 2019 the COVID pandemic has stalled the TB elimination programme. According to the report of the World Health Organization, an estimated 1.6 million people died due to TB globally in 2021, while a total of 17 million people were affected by TB in 2021, which shows an increase of 4.5% in 2020 figures. It has been told that where the number of patients diagnosed with TB in 2019 was 7.1 million, after Covid, that number remained at only 6.4 million in 2020 and 5.8 million in 2021.

According to WHO, the Covid epidemic has changed the diagnosis and treatment resources. Where $ 6 billion was spent in 2019, it has increased to $ 5.2 billion in 2021. The World Health Organization has chosen this year's theme as "Yes, we can end TB". A target has been set to eliminate it by 2030. However, India is working on eliminating TB by 2025.

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The only vaccine available to treat TB
Currently, only BGC is licensed as a TB vaccine, which was developed in the year 1921. With the help of the BCG vaccine, there is some success in preventing a severe form of TB in newborns and young children. Till now work on 16 TB vaccines is going on but there is a lack of funds to develop them.