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Alarm in Europe: Tuberculosis cases in children increase by 10%

Alarm in Europe: Tuberculosis cases in children increase by 10%

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) has warned that tuberculosis cases in children are rising by 10%, raising alarm across the continent. According to the report, children under 15 years old account for 4.3% of all new or re-emerging cases in Europe.

Although the European region is recovering from the impact of COVID-19, the effects of the pandemic continue to be felt in tuberculosis testing, prevention, diagnosis and care. A challenge remains that 1 in 5 children with tuberculosis are not known to have completed their treatment, which can lead to re-emergence of tuberculosis and its further transmission.

ECDC Director Dr. Pamela Rendi-Wagner said: “The time to act is now! With only 5 years to meet our 2030 targets, it is essential that Europe renews its focus on prevention and timely and effective treatment. With the rise of drug-resistant tuberculosis, the cost of inaction today will be paid by all of us tomorrow.”

In Europe, the successful treatment of new and re-emerging cases who started treatment with drugs in 2022 was 75.5%, but in 2023 it decreased to 67.9%.

The report also highlights that HIV infection remains an ongoing issue for tuberculosis patients in Europe. In 2023, over 15% of tuberculosis patients who relapsed were also infected with HIV. This is more than 19,000 people.

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control states that it is essential to establish a greater focus and improve the tuberculosis prevention strategy./ Living

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