Singapore Sees 1,156 New Tuberculosis Cases in 2024, Down from 2023

Key Takeaways

1,156 new TB cases reported in 2024.
Incidence rate is 27.6 per 100,000 residents.
Decline from 2023's 1,201 cases.
77.9% of new cases are aged 50 and above.
TB remains a significant health issue in Singapore.

Singapore, March 24 (NationPress) In 2024, Singapore reported 1,156 new cases of active tuberculosis, leading to an incidence rate of 27.6 cases per 100,000 residents, according to the Ministry of Health.

This figure shows a minor decrease from the 1,201 cases documented in 2023, which had an incidence rate of 28.9 cases per 100,000. Over the past ten years, the annual incidence has fallen from a high of 1,617 cases in 2016, as indicated by the ministry's statistics.

Men and older age demographics remain significantly affected, with 77.9 percent of the new cases in 2024 occurring in individuals aged 50 and above, while 67.5 percent were male, as reported by Xinhua news agency.

Tuberculosis is a persistent health issue in Singapore, with latent tuberculosis infections prevalent, especially among older adults, where rates can reach up to 30 percent. The ministry emphasized that those with latent infections harbor the bacteria yet are not contagious, as the bacteria remain dormant.

The World Health Organization states that TB is a contagious disease primarily affecting the lungs, transmitted through the air when infected individuals cough, sneeze, or spit. Although preventable and treatable with specific antibiotics, TB continues to be a leading cause of mortality globally, surpassing all other infectious diseases.

Annually, approximately 10 million people contract TB. Despite its preventability and treatability, 1.5 million individuals succumb to the disease each year, making it the world's deadliest infectious disease.

TB remains the foremost cause of death among those with HIV and significantly contributes to the rise of antimicrobial resistance.

While most TB cases are found in low and middle-income nations, the disease is present worldwide. Notably, about half of all TB cases are concentrated in eight countries: Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, and South Africa.

It is estimated that around a quarter of the global population has been infected with TB bacteria, although many do not develop the disease, and some can clear the infection. Individuals who are infected but not yet symptomatic are not contagious.

World Tuberculosis Day was commemorated on Monday.