Over 25,000 tuberculosis cases documented in 2008 in Morocco

Around 25,500 new cases of tuberculosis were documented in Morocco last year, despite a downward trend reported since 1996, a statement of the health ministry said on Tuesday.

   The figure, revealed on the World Tuberculosis Day (March 24) - celebrated this year under the theme "You Can Stop Tuberculosis, Join Us" - suggest that 70% of these cases, including 57% among men, are recorded mostly in big cities.

   Taking care of TB patients may take between six and 18 months and medicines are distributed for free under medical supervision in 2600 urban and rural health centers, it said.

   The reduction of the disease incidence at national level stands at 2 to 3% yearly, the statement said, adding that for this pace to be speeded up, the ministry's 2008-2012 plan aims at cutting the incidence rate to 65 new cases per every 100,000 people against 85 cases in 2008.

   According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), around one third of the world population, that is 2 billion people, is infected by the mycobacterium tuberculosis, with over 8 million new cases documented every year.

   Tuberculosis is an infectious bacterial disease which most commonly affects the lungs. It is transmitted from person to person via droplets from the throat and lungs of people with the active respiratory disease.

MAP