Tuberculosis Surpasses COVID-19 as Leading Infectious Disease Killer, Says WHO

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared Tuberculosis (TB) the leading infectious disease killer globally, surpassing COVID-19. In its latest report, "Global Tuberculosis Report 2024," published on October 29, the WHO revealed that around 8.2 million new TB cases were recorded in 2023, the highest since global monitoring began in 1995. This marks a significant increase from 7.5 million cases reported in 2022.

While TB-related deaths decreased from 1.32 million in 2022 to 1.25 million in 2023, the total number of individuals affected by TB rose to an estimated 10.8 million. The report highlights that certain countries bear a disproportionate share of the TB burden, with India (26%), Indonesia (10%), China (6.8%), the Philippines (6.8%), and Pakistan (6.3%) accounting for 56% of global cases.

Demographically, 55% of those diagnosed were men, 33% were women, and 12% were children and adolescents. Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, emphasized the urgency of action, stating, "It is outrageous that TB continues to kill and sicken so many people when we have the means to prevent, detect, and treat it. WHO calls on all countries to fulfill their commitments to expand access to these essential tools and work towards ending TB."