Cebu has highest incidence of tuberculosis cases in CV

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu has the highest number of cases of tuberculosis in the region while Central Visayas is included in the top 10 regions nationwide with the highest incidence rate of TB cases.

Dr. Enrique Sancho, program coordinator of the National Tuberculosis Prevention and Control Program of the Department of Health bared Central Visayas has slightly over 7,000 TB cases last year with almost 50 percent of these cases found in Cebu.

“TB is an urban disease and highly infectious” as we expect the disease to quickly spread among families living in close quarters,” Sancho declared.

TB is a common and contagious disease caused by a bacteria mainly Myobacterium tuberculosis in humans which usually attacks the lungs. Symptoms include chronic cough with blood-tinged sputum, fever, night sweats and weight loss, this is learned.

Sancho said the region contributes five percent of the total TB cases in the country where the National Capital Region tops with the highest incidence nationwide with 21,000 cases while other regions included Western Visayas with 16,000 cases and Calabarzon with 15,000 cases based on last year’s data.

TB is one of the top 10 leading cause of morbidity and mortality rates in the country, according to Sancho.

In 2007, the Philippines recorded over 86,000 TB cases based on the 2009 World Health Organization Report but the trend is increasing as for this year, it is estimated that 133 people out of 100,000 population has TB, Sancho said.

Sancho said the Philippines ranks 8th in the most number of multiple drug resistant tuberculosis (MDRT) cases among 22 identified highly-burdened countries and ranks 9th worldwide in the incidence of the ordinary TB disease which can easily be treated unlike the MDRT.

Recovery rate among ordinary TB cases in the region is pegged at 90 percent, he added. —PIA-7 (THE FREEMAN)