South Korea Ranks First in Tuberculosis Incidence Among OECD Countries... Increase in Patients Aged 65 and Older

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) announced on the 5th that the number of reported tuberculosis (TB) cases tentatively totaled 15,451 (30.1 per 100,000 people) up to the third quarter of this year, marking a 0.1% increase compared to the same period last year. In particular, the number of TB patients aged 65 and older was 8,950 (99.3 per 100,000 people), a 5.0% increase from the previous year.

By age group, those aged 80 and above saw the largest increase at 7.8%. The number of patients in their 60s also rose. The proportion of TB patients aged 65 and older increased from 48.5% in 2020 to 57.9% this year. This is analyzed to be due to an increase in contact frequency among those aged 65 and older, who had relatively restricted face-to-face gatherings during COVID-19 preventive measures, which have now ended (such as the lifting of mask mandates). Additionally, the increase in foreign residents in Korea is another contributing factor. The number of foreign residents rose by 14.6%, from 2,123,000 in August last year to 2,433,000 in August this year. The number of foreign TB patients increased by 6.7% to 870 this year. However, all age groups from teens to those in their 50s saw decreases. The number of TB patients in their teens and 30s decreased by 13.7% and 13.5%, respectively.

Domestic TB cases have been on a continuous decline for 11 consecutive years since 2011, with an average annual decrease of 7.9%, thanks to the government's ongoing national TB control programs. However, since the beginning of this year, the decline has slowed and an increasing trend has appeared.

The KDCA plans to intensively promote the annual free TB screening conducted once a year at public health centers nationwide for the elderly during the fourth quarter to increase TB screening rates among seniors.

Ji Young-mi, Commissioner of the KDCA, emphasized, "Elderly people are particularly vulnerable to respiratory diseases during seasonal changes, so they must thoroughly practice personal quarantine and hygiene management." She added, "If symptoms such as coughing and cold sweats persist for more than two weeks after the Chuseok holiday, when many families gathered, it is essential to get tested." She continued, "Although TB tends to be perceived as a forgotten disease by many, Korea still ranks first among OECD countries in TB incidence rates, and it remains the disease with the highest mortality rate among infectious diseases in the country." Last year, the number of TB deaths was 1,322 (2.6 per 100,000 people), with 85.6% of these patients aged 65 and older.

In March this year, the KDCA announced the '3rd Comprehensive Tuberculosis Control Plan.' Over the next five years, the goal is to reduce the TB incidence rate to less than 20 per 100,000 people, which is half the current level, by implementing strengthened TB control policies covering the entire cycle of prevention, early detection, and treatment.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.