New Delhi: The Ministry of Health reiterated its recommendations on tuberculosis screening for all Positive Covid-19 patients and vice versa in the midst of a report on a surge in a pandemic case in the middle of a pandemic.
However, the government clarified that there was not enough evidence to suggest that there had been an increase in TB cases because of Covid-19.
Countries and UTS have also been requested convergence in better supervision efforts and findings of TB and Covid-19 cases.
In addition, the center has issued several advisors and guidelines that emphasize the need for two-way playback of TBCovid and TB-ILI / Sari, the government said.
“Due to the impact of restrictions related to Covid-19, case notifications for TB decreased by around 25% by 2020 but special efforts were being carried out to reduce this impact through the findings of intensive cases in OPD settings and through active case search campaigns in the community by all states, “Government said.
In addition, there is not enough current evidence to suggest that there has been an increase in TB cases because of Covid-19 or due to increasing case search efforts, he added.
Highlighting Dual Morbidity of TB (TB) and Covid-19, the Ministry of Health said the two diseases were known to be contagious and mainly attacking the lungs, presenting symptoms of cough, fever and the same difficulty in breathing.
However, TB has a longer incubation period and a slower disease, he said.
In a commemoration of post-covid diseases such as black mushrooms, the Ministry said SARS-COV-2 infection could make individuals more susceptible to the development of TB disease, because TB was an oportunistic infection such as black mushrooms.
Drawing parallel between the decline in immunity in tuberculosis and Covid-19 patients, the Ministry said TB Bacilli could be present in humans in an inactivity and had the potential to start multiply when the individual’s immunity was compromised for any reason.
The same applies in post-covid scenarios, when a person can experience a decrease in immunity because of the virus itself or because of treatment, especially immune suppressors such as steroids.