Coventry City Council is urging residents to be aware of the symptoms of Tuberculosis (TB) following a rise in cases across the country.
TB is a serious public health concern caused by a bacterial infection that mainly affects the lungs, but can affect any part of the body, including the bones and the brain.
The Council's Public Health team is working with local health services to ensure anyone who may have TB can access testing and treatment quickly and easily.
TB is spread when a person with TB in their lungs or throat coughs or sneezes. Anyone can get TB, but people are most at risk if they have been in regular contact with a person with infectious TB, have come to the UK from a country where TB is common, or have a weakened immune system due to health conditions or medical treatment such as chemotherapy.
Common symptoms of TB include:
- a cough that lasts for more than 3 weeks – which may produce mucus or blood
- a high temperature
- drenching night sweats
- loss of appetite
- unexplained weight loss
- feeling tired or exhausted
- difficulty gaining weight or growing (in children)
Not every persistent cough with a fever is caused by flu or COVID-19. A cough that usually has mucus and lasts longer than 3 weeks can be caused by a range of other issues, including TB.
Councillor Kamran Caan, Cabinet Member for Public Health and Sport, said:
“We're seeing TB cases rising nationally and we want to ensure everyone in Coventry knows the symptoms to look out for.
“TB is a serious condition, but the key message is that it's curable with early diagnosis and treatment. If you have a persistent cough lasting more than three weeks, please get checked by your GP.
“Testing and treatment are completely free for everyone, regardless of your circumstances, so please don't delay – early action can make all the difference to your health and helps prevent TB spreading to others.”
Dr Esther Robinson, Head of the TB Unit at UKHSA, said:
"TB is curable and preventable, but the disease remains a serious public health issue in England.
“If you have moved to England from a country where TB is more common, please be aware of the symptoms of TB so you can get promptly tested and treated through your GP surgery.
“Not every persistent cough, along with a fever, is caused by flu or COVID-19. A cough that usually has mucus and lasts longer than three weeks can be caused by a range of other issues, including TB. Please speak to your GP if you think you could be at risk.”
TB is curable if diagnosed early and treated promptly with the right combination of specific antibiotics. Early treatment also reduces the risk of the infection spreading further.
TB testing and treatment is free to everyone on the NHS, regardless of immigration status. Anyone experiencing symptoms should contact their GP or NHS 111 without delay.