Tuberculosis is on the rise: Britain is worried about the return of a deadly Victorian disease

Could your cough be tuberculosis? A warning has been sounded in the UK over a sharp rise in tuberculosis rates, as concerned health leaders say the long-term illness may actually be caused by a Victorian illness rather than Covid or flu.

Data from the UK’s Health Security Agency shows that there were 4,850 cases of tuberculosis reported in 2023, the Daily Mail writes. Health officials have stressed that “collective action” is needed to combat rising cases.

Cases of tuberculosis (TB) are rising, fueling fears that England could be seeing a resurgence of the Victorian-era disease. Data from the UK Health Safety Agency (UKHSA) shows that 4,850 people were affected by a bacterial infection spread by coughing in 2023, up almost 11% on the year before.

This is despite the fact that 2022 was a record year for tuberculosis incidence. The number of infections in Britain has increased for only the third time in the past decade.

Panic-stricken UK health officials have stressed that “collective action” is needed to combat the surge. They also urged Britons not to blame all coughs and fevers on flu or Covid.

England remains a country with a low incidence of tuberculosis, notes the Daily Mail. However, the UKHSA said progress towards eliminating the disease had stalled.

Officials have now launched an investigation into why the number of cases has increased. They have been declining sharply since 2011, when there was a peak of more than 8,000 infections, but the trend was reversed in 2019. In 2021 and 2022, the number of cases remained “generally stable” at 4,425 and 4,380 respectively.

In 2022, 7.5 million people worldwide were diagnosed with tuberculosis – the highest figure on record, the Daily Mail emphasizes.

The World Health Organization (WHO) said this is because many people were unable to get diagnosed or receive treatment during the Covid lockdown.

The biggest increases last year were in London’s urban centres, the North West and the West Midlands. But there has also been an increase in the Southwest and Northeast, where tuberculosis rates are low.

Health officials say tuberculosis rates are highest among people in England who come from other parts of the world where the disease is more common. Rates of infection are also higher among urban populations, especially those living in deprived areas.

Dr Esther Robinson, UKHSA TB Lead, said: “We need collective action to tackle TB and we are working with partners across the health system to understand how we can best refocus efforts to eradicate this preventable and treatable infection. Not every persistent cough accompanied by a fever is caused by flu or Covid. A cough that is usually accompanied by mucus and lasts for more than three weeks can be caused by a number of other conditions, including tuberculosis.’

She also urged those who think they may be at risk to contact their health care provider.

An estimated 1.6 million people worldwide die from tuberculosis each year, making it one of the leading causes of death worldwide, the Daily Mail notes.

The infection is spread when patients cough and sneeze and most often affects the lungs, although it can spread to other parts of the body. Early symptoms of the disease include cough, fever, night sweats and weight loss.

Severe TB infection can cause death by destroying organs from the inside, causing them to bleed and fill with fluid.

Tuberculosis is especially dangerous for people with weakened immune systems, such as those undergoing chemotherapy, and those who lack access to quality health care. But in England the infection can usually be treated with antibiotics.