Some 10.6 million people fell ill with tuberculosis last year, up from 10.3 million in 2021, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), which also reports an increase in the number of new TB cases.
Nearly 7.6 million individuals were diagnosed last year, WHO notes in its latest annual report, covering 190 countries and territories, and published on Tuesday in Geneva.
In Belgium, the incidence rate stands at eight cases per 100,000 residents, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). The centre reported 87 new or recurring cases of tuberculosis in 2021, the most recent year for which data is available.
Nearly half of last year’s new cases were identified in parts of Asia, and nearly a quarter in Africa. However, despite two years of rising incidence, the death rate decreased, with the number of fatalities reaching 1.3 million, down 100,000 from the previous year.
Progress has been reported by the WHO in the development of new tests, medication and vaccines. However, it cautions that progress has been constrained by a lack of investment.
Tuberculosis remains the world's second most lethal infection, and improvements registered last year fell short of global targets set in 2018. The net decrease in tuberculosis-related deaths is around 20%, far from the targeted 75% reduction by 2025. Likewise, prevalence has dropped by less than 9%, trailing the 50% goal set for 2025.
Other shortfalls include the fact that only about 85% of the 40 million people expected to receive care actually got it, and slightly over half of the 30 million targeted for preventative care accessed it. Additionally, only half of the requested funding was received.
