Noida: A total of six new TB patients (TB) – out of 54 suspected cases – found in Gautam Budh Nagar during supervision carried out for the last 10 days.
With this, around 5,500 TB cases have been identified this year so far.
According to officials, TB patients were identified through supervision, awareness and hospital visits every year.
However, since 2020, more patients have been identified during intensive drives carried out in all districts.
“Asha and ANM workers have helped identify several TB cases through drive supervision.
They report all cases of fever, cough and cold because this is a common covid symptom too.
However, there are more typical qualification symptoms for TB.
We check them and complete TB tests , “said Dr.
Sirish Jain, District Nodal Officer for TB control.
Jain added that the OPD visit was not permitted during covid-induced locking and fewer people had visited hospitals except essential during a pandemic.
However, the case has been identified through the door-to-door surveillance program.
TB is usually marked by fever during the night, sweating while sleeping at night, low appetite, weight loss and cough for more than two weeks.
During the supervision of fever, the TB test is required for all found with cough for more than two weeks and Covid tests are carried out for those who cough for less than two weeks.
Officials said that while supervision had helped identify several TB cases since last year, the total number of cases might be lower this year.
The total number of cases was 9,960 in 2019 which was reduced to 7,024 in 2020.
A total of 5,475 cases have been identified this year so far.
However, there is no special reason why fewer cases may be recorded.
“There are still three months left in this year, the cases are fewer in 2021 so far.
There seems to be no variation in TB bacteria.
So, we can’t say why there might be fewer cases,” Dr.
Jain added.
TB testing and treatment is done for free at a government hospital.
The drug kit is provided by the government with all instructions to participate in the treatment protocol for six months.
The doctor said that the most important thing in TB care is to continue ordinary treatment.
In the case of Multi-Medicine TB (MDR), treatment lasts at least one and a half years along with several tests.
In Noida, around 2-3% of all cases are MDR TB cases.
In a fever survey, Noida found 6 TB cases in 10 days
