With World Tuberculosis Day being observed today, the Minister of Health, Dr Frank Anthony is urging persons who have been diagnosed with the disease to continue to adhere to COVID-19 safeguards, more specifically, to wear their masks.
With the recent decrease in COVID-19 infections, Anthony posited that a resurgence of the virus may directly affect persons diagnosed with TB since both the virus and the disease attack the lungs and can be transmitted by coughing.
Anthony explained that the only difference between the ‘cough transmitted’ virus and disease is that, with a person diagnosed with TB, their cough may produce phlegm which could contain stains of blood.
During the minister’s daily COVID-19 update, he encouraged those infected persons to take their medication.
“…We currently have let’s say about 500 persons with active TB and as you know it one of those diseases that you have to be on treatment for a relatively long period of time, in some cases 4 to 9 months and if your treatment is interrupted for whatever …reason, then that can pose a challenge because sometimes a person can develop multiple drug resistance of TB…” Anthony was quoted as saying.
The minister further encouraged those persons to do regular visits and checks up at the various health centres and hospitals so as to effect a further decline in the disease.
