About 8.2 million new cases of tuberculosis were diagnosed worldwide last year, the highest figure recorded since the World Health Organization began tracking it almost 30 years ago.
The annual report published in late October 2024 on tuberculosis highlights “mixed progress in the global fight against the disease, including persistent challenges, including a significant lack of funding.”
Although the number of TB-related deaths has decreased from 1.32 million in 2022 to 1.25 million in 2023, the overall number of people affected by the disease has increased.
Nearly 8.2 million new cases were diagnosed in 2023, a record figure since monitoring began in 1995.
This is a “significant increase” from the 7.5 million cases reported in 2022. As a result, tuberculosis has once again become the deadliest infectious disease, surpassing COVID-19, according to the World Health Organization. health.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a statement: “It is scandalous that tuberculosis continues to affect and kill so many people, even though we have the tools to prevent, diagnose and treat it. to treat.”
Health
