Key Summary
- TB cases in England rose by 13.6% in 2024, prompting a UKHSA warning
- Public urged to recognise symptoms and seek early GP consultation
- New TB National Action Plan (2026–2031) launched to break transmission and address resistance
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has warned the public to watch out for tuberculosis (TB) symptoms, following a spike in 2024.
As per the UKHSA, England witnessed a 13.6 percent rise (5,490 disease notifications) in the TB cases last year, compared with 4,831 in 2023.
However, the disease is curable and less risky, with 84.4 per cent of the patients successfully completing their treatment within a year.
A prolonged cough with mucus lasting for more than 3 weeks is a common symptom of the infection.
High temperature, night sweats, loss of appetite and weight loss are the other symptoms.
Timely consultation to the GPs and keeping safe distance from infected individuals, are advised to the public to prevent serious consequences.
In 2024, 82 percent of TB notifications were in people born outside the UK, but there was an increase in both UK-born and non UK-born populations.
The disease is a serious global indicator of the infection, and it is commonly found in large urban areas.
London recorded the highest regional rate at 20.6 per 100,000 people, followed by the West Midlands at 11.5 per 100,000.
For those born in the UK, TB is more common among those who experience homelessness, drug and alcohol dependence and in conflict with the law.
Drug-resistant TB has also reached the highest levels (though the numbers are still low) since enhanced surveillance began in 2012, with 2.2 per cent displaying resistant multiple drugs.
Latent TBs caused by the bacteria that remain dormant within the patient for years are another serious concern as well.
These infections must be dealt with long, complex treatments to avoid life-threatening risks.
“TB is preventable and curable but, with rates increasing, it remains a serious public health issue,” said Dr Esther Robinson, head of the TB Unit at UKHSA.
“We must act fast to break transmission chains through rapid identification and treatment.”
“It’s important to remember that not every persistent cough, along with a fever, is caused by flu or Covid-19,” she reminded.
The UKHSA has published the latest TB National Action Plan (2026-2031) on Thursday (9), to fight the infection.
