TB rate rising

The number of tuberculosis cases has been on the increase lately, says senior lung doctor of Azerbaijan Manaf Novruzov. According to him, as where in early 1990 there were 45 TB patients per 100,000 people, in 1999 the figure rose to 57. He highlighted the growing number of tuberculosis cases among refugees (70 per 100,000).

According to Mr. Novruzov, in Russia, Kazakhstan and Ukraine tuberculosis has already assumed epidemic proportions. The World Health Organization predicts that by the year 2010 a total of 1 billion people will be infected world over, 200 million will be suffering from the disease, while 70 million will die.*