Cleveland County – AR issued the following announcement on Mar. 24.
In the United States, reported tuberculosis (TB) disease diagnoses fell 20% in 2020 and remained 13% lower in 2021 than TB disease diagnoses made prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to preliminary CDC data published today.
The new data suggest that the pandemic has had a substantial effect on TB trends in the United States. Before COVID-19, TB disease diagnoses typically declined between 1% and 2% each year. The 2020 and 2021 declines may be related to factors associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, including a true reduction in incidence as well as delayed or missed TB diagnoses. For example:
Efforts to prevent COVID-19, such as wearing masks and staying six feet away from others, may also reduce the spread of TB.
Widespread disruptions to healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic may have delayed TB diagnoses. The COVID-19 pandemic has strained public health services, including TB prevention and control services.
Similarities in symptoms between COVID-19 and TB disease may have led to missed TB diagnoses. Case reports have revealed some people with TB disease were evaluated for COVID-19 — but not tested for TB — during multiple encounters with healthcare systems. Initial misassumptions might have contributed to missed diagnoses, or delayed diagnoses until more advanced stages of disease.
Original source can be found here.
Source: Cleveland County – AR
