A record 8.2 million new tuberculosis cases have been diagnosed worldwide last year, the World Health Organization said the highest number since it began global TB monitoring in 1995.
The WHO said its Global Tuberculosis Report 2024, released Tuesday, highlights “mixed progress in the global fight against TB, with persistent challenges such as significant underfunding”.
While the number of TB-related deaths declined from 1.32 million in 2022 to 1.25 million last year, the total number of people contracting the infectious disease increased from 7.5 million to 8.2 million.
However, not all new cases are diagnosed, and WHO estimates that around 10.8 million people actually contracted the disease last year.
