Families are being urged not to dismiss coughs as fevers as coronavirus. It comes as figures show a spike in tuberculosis (TB) cases.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said the decline in TB that was seen in 2019 appears to be reversing. Cases have increases by 2.4% in England – from 4,615 in 2018 to 4,725 in 2019.
While TB cases fell in 2020, most likely due to people staying away from the NHS during the pandemic, suggestions are that infections rose by more than 7% in 2021. Anyone with a cough, particularly those in groups at a higher risk of catching TB, are being urged not to dismiss their persistent cough and fever as the coronavirus.
