Health bosses act over rising number of TB cases

A specialist board has been set up to tackle a rise in tuberculosis (TB) cases in Birmingham.

UK Health Security Agency data showed that, in the three years leading up to 2024, the average number of people diagnosed with TB was 210 per year – an infection rate of 17.9 per 100,000 people.

The three-year average in Wolverhampton is 61 with an infection rate of 22.3 per 100,000. In Sandwell, it is 63 with an infection rate of 17.9, while in Coventry the figures are 72 and 19.9 per 100,000 people.

Across the whole West Midlands region, notifications of the disease, a type of lung infection, increased by more than a fifth between 2023 and 2024, the highest rise of any English region.

The Birmingham and Solihull TB Programme Board will help prevent the disease and reduce its impact locally, Birmingham Public Health said.

TB can be treated with antibiotics, but can be serious if it is left untreated.

Symptoms can include a cough that lasts for more than three weeks – which may produce mucus or blood, a high temperature, drenching night sweats and loss of appetite.

"We've been seeing a rise in TB throughout the country, particularly in communities facing greater social and economic challenges, and among people who may have had increased exposure or reduced access to healthcare," Sally Burns, director of Birmingham Public Health said.

"While TB can be serious, it is curable with the right treatment, especially if caught early, and is not easily transmissible."

People are being urged to get tested if they have symptoms or believe they might have the disease.

"If you think you might be at risk or have symptoms, don't wait, get tested," Burns added.

"Getting tested for TB is quick, easy, and completely free. You can visit your GP for a confidential test or visit TestToProtect.co.uk for more information."

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.

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