Decrease in Tuberculosis Is Silver Lining of Global Pandemic

On March 24—World Tuberculosis (TB) Day—the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released new data on the status of TB across the world. And the news is good. While the global pandemic wreaked havoc in even the most remote of places, it did bring a significant reduction in TB rates. Each year, the number of TB cases decreases between 1% and 2%; however, in 2020, new diagnoses of TB fell 20%. In 2021, new TB cases were also 13% lower than average, demonstrating a continuing association between COVID-19 and fewer TB cases. The CDC suggests that the isolation experienced during the pandemic helped limit the number of new cases but notes that this may also mean more undiagnosed cases. The agency urges healthcare providers to be on the lookout for symptoms among at-risk individuals.  Click here to read more.