WHO Reports Surging Tuberculosis Cases

The World Health Organization has reported a staggering increase in tuberculosis (TB) cases, reaching over 8 million last year—the largest number recorded since the agency began tracking the disease. The annual death toll of about 1.25 million suggests TB has regained its status as the world's deadliest infectious disease, overtaking COVID-19. This resurgence highlights the disproportionate impact on regions like Southeast Asia, Africa, and the Western Pacific, with India, Indonesia, China, the Philippines, and Pakistan accounting for a majority of cases.

Despite advancements in TB diagnostics and treatments, its continued prevalence is alarming. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus highlighted the situation as an "outrage," emphasizing the availability of "tools to prevent it, detect it and treat it." Encouragingly, global TB mortality rates are declining, and infection rates are stabilizing. However, challenges remain, particularly with drug-resistant TB—of the estimated 400,000 cases last year, less than half received proper diagnosis and treatment.

Medical advocacy groups continue to pressure for more accessible testing solutions. Notably, organizations like Doctors Without Borders have urged the US company Cepheid to lower the cost of TB tests to $5, making them more affordable in low-income countries. In an open letter, they called on Cepheid to "prioritize people's lives" by enhancing global TB testing accessibility. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)