Can’t shift that cough? Get checked for tuberculosis, health chiefs urge – as Victorian disease makes resurgence
TUBERCULOSIS is making a comeback in England – and officials are urging people not to mistake symptoms of the infection for a cold or flu.
Cases of the Victorian disease increased by over 10 per cent last year, according to the UK Health Security Agency – up from 4,380 in 2022 to 4,850 in 2023.
Health chiefs are now scrambling to “investigate the reasons” behind this sudden rise in infections.
Anyone with a persistent cough and fever, particularly those in groups at a higher risk of catching TB, is being urged not to dismiss their symptoms.
Dr Esther Robinson, head of the TB unit at UKHSA, said: “Not every persistent cough, along with a fever, is caused by flu or Covid-19.
“A cough that usually has mucus and lasts longer than three weeks can be caused by a range of other issues, including TB.
“Please speak to your GP if you think you could be at risk.”
Globally, 7.5million people were diagnosed with tuberculosis in 2022 – the highest number ever recorded.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) said this was because many people were unable to get a diagnosis or receive treatment during Covid lockdowns.
A separate report found cases of drug-resistant TB had increased by three per cent between 2020 and 2021.
In July 2022, Brits were urged to be on the lookout for signs of the deadly Victorian disease after an outbreak at a university in Wales.
Three students tested positive for the illness – eight months after coming into close contact with someone who died from the disease.
What is TB?
Tuberculosis (TB), once named consumption, is an infectious disease caused by bacteria which affects the lungs.
It spreads in the air when people carrying the bug cough, sneeze or spit.
Symptoms include a cough for more than three weeks, feeling exhausted, a high temperature, weight loss and loss of appetite.
It can be life-threatening, but most cases can be successfully treated with antibiotics.
The infection can spread to your brain, heart, abdomen, glands, bones and nervous system.
People are at higher risk of the disease if they are in close contact with a person known to have the disease, travel to countries with high rates of TB, are homeless, are addicted to drugs, have a weakened immune system or are in prison.
There’s a jab that protects against the bug, but vaccination programmes have been scrapped in several countries over the last 20 years.
The BCG vaccine is given during childhood and is currently the most widely used shot globally.
It is no longer offered to secondary school kids in the UK and instead only targets young children deemed most at risk.
The 6 symptoms of TB to watch out for
TB is a potentially serious condition, but it can be cured if it's treated with the right antibiotics.
- a persistent cough that lasts more than three weeks and usually brings up phlegm, which may be bloody
- breathlessness that gradually gets worse
- lack of appetite and weight loss
- a high temperature
- night sweats