New Delhi: The government has included TB as a comorbidity that can place patients at the “high risk” of severe Koronavirus infection and also suggest TB Testing Post Covid-19, if cough continues for more than two to three weeks, in a new clinical management protocol, inside protocol for disease.
Apart from TB, there are six other categories identified as “high risk” to develop serious illness or death due to Covid-19.
These include people over 60 years old, those who suffer from cardiovascular disease, hypertension and coronary artery (CAD), people suffer from diabetes mellitus or immunocompromised conditions (such as HIV), active tuberculosis patients, chronic lung disease, kidneys, or liver disease, people with cerebral vascular disease, and those who are obese.
During the previous surge, the center has issued a lot of advisors and guidelines that emphasize the need for two-way TB-Covid and TB-ILI / Sari (diseases such as influenza and severe acute respiratory infections) because the notification of TB cases has dropped significantly, especially on In 2020.
Both Covid and TB were contagious and mainly attacking the lungs, presenting similar cough symptoms, fever and breathing difficulties.
However, TB has a longer incubation period.
While India has set a 2025 deadline for removing TB, this disease continues to be one of the main health challenges.
Every year, it is estimated that more than 24.8 new TB cases lakh appears in India, with around 4 lakh people give up on disease every year.
The National TB control program registered a 25% reduction in detection of new patients during the first half of 2021 when compared to the appropriate period in 2019.