THANDI XABA
About 1% of the country’s population of approximately 50 million people develop active TB disease each year. In the wake of World TB day tomorrow, March 24th ER24 is urging people to familiarise themselves with the symptoms of the disease and to seek medical attention immediately if there is suspicion of illness.
Spokesperson Chitra Bodasing says South Africa is ranked as one of the highest nation with TB diagnosis and a cough that persists for two weeks needs urgent medical attention.
TB is an infectious disease that spreads through the air and is caused by a bacterium. It spreads when someone who has active tuberculosis coughs or sneezes.
Symptoms include cough, night sweats, weight and appetite loss, even though TB Usually affects the lungs, it can also affect other parts of the body. Furthermore people who are HIV positive, diabetic, malnourished or smokers have a higher chance of developing TB.
Even though co-infection is high in South Africa, this does not mean that everyone with TB is HIV positive or that everyone who is HIV positive has TB.
TB is more likely to be spread in small, poorly ventilated and overcrowded conditions.
