Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Senior Palestinian official to Al Mayadeen: Meetings between the Israelis, Egyptians, and Qataris are all centered around the Israeli proposal, which does not guarantee an end to the war [on Gaza]
Senior Palestinian official to Al Mayadeen: “Israel” is threatening to expand the ground offensive if Hamas rejects the proposal
Senior Palestinian official to Al Mayadeen: Hamas rejects the Israeli proposal, viewing it as failing to guarantee an end to the war
Senior Palestinian official to Al Mayadeen: “Israel” is sticking to its proposal, and insists there is no alternative offer on the table for negotiation
Senior Palestinian official to Al Mayadeen: The meetings between the Israelis and the Egyptians and Qataris all revolve around the Israeli proposal
The administration was clearly looking for an off-ramp for this campaign against Ansar Allah, NBC News reports, citing US official
Trump's operation against Ansar Allah cost more than $1 billion, NBC News reports, citing US official
White smoke signals new pope elected: AFP
Reuters, citing two informed sources: US no longer demanding Saudi Arabia normalize ties with "Israel" as condition for progress on civil nuclear cooperation talks
Putin: Almost all foreign trade between Russia and China is now conducted in rubles and yuan

WHO: Tuberculosis cases rise for 1st time in years

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 30 Oct 2022 20:24
  • 1 Shares
4 Min Read

The WHO says that around 1.6 million people died after getting infected with drug-resistant tuberculosis in 2021.

  • x
  • Tuberculosis cases rise for 1st time in yearsThe Tuberculosis (TB) virus

The number of individuals infected with tuberculosis, including the type that is resistant to drugs, increased globally for the first time in years, according to a report published on Thursday by the World Health Organization (WHO).

In 2021, more than 10 million people in the world were infected by tuberculosis, the WHO said, a 4.5% year-on-year increase from 2020.

The WHO added that around 1.6 million people died, and about 450,000 of the cases involved individuals infected with drug-resistant TB, an 3% increase in comparison with 2020.

After the Covid-19 outbreak in 2020, more than a decade of progress was lost, Dr. Mel Spigelman, president of the non-profit TB Alliance, said.

"Despite gains in areas like preventative therapy, we are still behind in just about every pledge and goal regarding TB," he added.

Covid-19 was also blamed by the WHO for much of the rise in tuberculosis, saying the pandemic "continues to have a damaging impact on access to TB diagnosis and treatment," and adding that the progress made before 2019 has "slowed, stalled or reversed."

Since fewer people were being diagnosed with tuberculosis, patients are unknowingly spreading the highly infectious disease to others in outbreaks that may even not have been noticed in countries having weak health systems.

The number of those newly identified with TB fell from 7 million in 2019 to 5.8 million in 2020, according to the WHO.

Related News

WHO faces major downsizing as US funding cuts take toll

Israeli strike on Gaza hospital caused child's death: WHO chief

As the Covid-19 restrictions, such as lockdowns and distancing protocols, hindered TB treatment services and may have forced some people to stay home instead of going to health facilities to avoid catching coronavirus, the WHO called for more countries to cover all TB diagnoses and treatment expenses.

The downturn in the economy worldwide was also a factor, according to officials, who said that about half of all TB patients face "catastrophic total costs" due to their treatment.

Dr. Hannah Spencer, who is with Doctors Without Borders in South Africa, called for decreasing the prices of TB treatment so a complete course costs no more than $500.

Ongoing conflicts in eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa have made it more difficult for patients to seek TB diagnosis and treatment, according to the WHO.

Ukraine had one of the world's worst TB epidemics even before the February war started in the country. Health experts are concerned that the patients who might not be able to get treated could fuel the rise of more drug-resistant TB across the region.

While TB patients can seek care in Ukraine, the country lacks key medicines, and authorities face difficulty in keeping track of patients.

After Covid-19, TB is the world's deadliest infectious disease. It is caused by a bacteria that is known to affect the lungs, and it is transmitted through the air by infected people; it is preventable and curable.

Tuberculosis has recently been dubbed as a worse threat than Covid-19. Most of the deaths are coming from four countries: India, Myanmar, Indonesia, and the Philippines.

TB will "once again be the leading cause of death worldwide from a single infectious agent, replacing Covid-19," the most recent Global TB report wrote.

According to the TB Alliance, TB kills 4,109 people per day, while 1,449 people die each day as a result of Covid, based on the 40,578 deaths reported in the previous 28 days on the Johns Hopkins University dashboard.

  • World Health Organization
  • Tuberculosis
  • WHO

Most Read

Pro-Palestinian protesters march toward the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) headquarters, Saturday, April 5, 2025, in Washington (AP)

US House to vote on bill criminalizing boycott of 'Israel'

  • Politics
  • 3 May 2025
Throughout Operation Prosperity Guardian, current and former US military and intelligence officials expressed disquiet at the enormous “cost offset” involved in battling Ansar Allah. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Zeinab El-Hajj)

Ansar Allah triumphant: US facing Red Sea defeat again

  • Opinion
  • 3 May 2025
Pakistan downs an Indian jet and hits a military base in Kashmir escalation.

Pakistan downs 3 Indian jets, hits military base in Kashmir escalation

  • Politics
  • 7 May 2025
Yemeni missile hits Ben Gurion Airport as interceptors fail

YAF targeted Ben Gurion with hypersonic ballistic missile: Saree

  • MENA
  • 4 May 2025

Coverage

All
Gaza prevails against genocide

Read Next

All
President Donald Trump speaks before Steve Witkoff is sworn as special envoy during a ceremony in the Oval Office of the White House, Tuesday, May 6, 2025, in Washington, with a portrait of former President Ronald Reagan in the background. (AP)
Politics

US prioritizes shipping, not 'Israel', in ceasefire deal with Yemen

A History of India-Pakistan conflicts: From partition to 2025
Asia

Timeline of India-Pakistan conflicts: 1947 partition - 2025's Pahalgam

Gaza aid pier: A costly mission with hidden injuries
Politics

Biden-era Gaza aid pier: A costly mission with hidden injuries

Faithful gather in St. Peter's Square as the door of the Sistine Chapel are closed to start the Conclave at the Vatican, Wednesday, May 7, 2025. (AP )
Technology

Who will succeed Pope Francis? AI chatbots weigh in before white smoke

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS