TB remains a concern despite declining cases: York Region Public Health


Yorkregion.com
March 23, 2015
By Lisa Queen

While rates of both new tuberculosis cases and deaths continue to drop in York Region and around the world, drug-resistant TB and TB-HIV co-infections are an ongoing concern, York Region’s Public Health unit warns.

“Tuberculosis (TB) remains an important public health issue despite being preventable, treatable and curable,” the department said in a press release Monday.

The region’s statement comes in advance of World TB Day on Tuesday.

TB is an infectious airborne disease that spreads when someone with active tuberculosis coughs or sneezes.

Symptoms include a bad cough lasting longer than three weeks, chest pain, coughing up blood, weakness or fatigue, weight loss, loss of appetite, chills, fever and night sweats.

“Despite its severity, TB is completely curable with antibiotics,” public health said.

Last year, there were 40 confirmed cases of TB in the region, a 20-per-cent drop over 2013.

“In 2014, York Region Public Health’s TB control program minimized the impact and spread of TB across the region by investigating new cases, notifying 374 individuals who were in contact with individuals with active TB, providing free medication to over 220 people with latent TB infection and conducting workplace screenings,” public health said.