The New Leading Infectious Disease: COVID-19 No Longer Top of the List!
🦠Tuberculosis Surpasses COVID-19 as the World’s Deadliest Infectious Disease — What You Need to Know
It wasn’t long ago that COVID-19 dominated global headlines and reshaped life as we knew it. But according to a recent World Health Organization (WHO) report, another familiar threat has quietly reclaimed its place as the world’s most lethal infectious disease: tuberculosis (TB).
After briefly taking a backseat during the COVID-19 pandemic, TB has surged back to the top, surpassing COVID-19 in annual global deaths — a sobering reminder that even in a post-pandemic world, the threat of infectious disease is far from over.
So, what exactly does this shift mean for public health — and for you and your family?
🧬 What Is Tuberculosis (TB)?
Tuberculosis is a serious bacterial infection caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
It typically affects the lungs, but can also spread to the kidneys, spine, brain, and other organs. TB is highly contagious and spreads through the air when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or speaks — meaning the risk of transmission is often higher in crowded or poorly ventilated spaces.
Although treatable in around 85% of cases, TB remains deadly when left undiagnosed or untreated.
The bacteria can remain dormant for years before triggering active disease — making it a persistent and sometimes silent killer.
đź“Š Shocking Global Statistics
The latest WHO data paints a stark picture:
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In 2023, 1.25 million people died from TB — nearly four times the number of global COVID-19 deaths in the same year (320,000).
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10.8 million people became ill with TB, marking an upward trend from previous years.
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Alarmingly, TB-HIV co-infections have risen by 40% since 2013, posing a deadly challenge as HIV weakens the immune system, making TB harder to fight.
These statistics highlight that TB remains a global emergency, especially in regions with fragile healthcare systems.
🌍 Who Is Most at Risk?
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