Tuberculosis (TB) is still considered a “public health problem” in the country, an official of the Department of Health (DOH) said. Citing data from the World Health Organization (WHO), about 700,000 people in the country develop tuberculosis each year, said DOH Disease Prevention and Control Bureau Advisor Dr. Ronald Allan Fabella in a forum on Friday, March 17. “Public health problem pa ba ang tuberculosis? Opo, hindi natin masyadong naririnig sa media ito pero minsan nga ang tawag natin sa TB...silent killer kasi wala naman tayong nababalita na ganito sa TV, et cetera, pero marami po, partikular sa Pilipinas, na may sakit na tuberculosis (Is tuberculosis still a public health problem? Yes, we don't hear much about it in the media, but sometimes we call TB...the silent killer because we don’t hear much about it on TV, et cetera, but several people, especially in the Philippines, have  tuberculosis),” said Fabella. Covid-19 pandemic disrupted treatment and prevention services for tuberculosis. However, more people are again starting to avail TB services in healthcare facilities, said Fabella. Around 741,000 Filipinos fell ill with tuberculosis, while about 60,000 people died in 2021, said Fabella. “Ang good news, nung 2022, parang nanumbalik na  yung ating services sa TB katulad nung bago pa mag Covid so nakapagtala tayo ng around 470,000 na nagsimula ng gamutan (The good news is, in 2022, our TB services seem to have returned to the same level before the Covid happened as we have recorded 470,000 [individuals] who started receiving treatment),” he said. “Pero sa estimate ng WHO eh kulang pa yun sa dapat talaga nating nakikita; tinatantya nila na merong 700,000 Filipinos na may TB every year (But according to WHO's estimate, that's still not enough of what we should really be seeing. Based on its estimate, there are 700,000 Filipinos who fall sick with TB every year),” he added. The DOH is currently in coordination with development partners to further strengthen the country’s screening, testing, treatment, and prevention services for tuberculosis, said Fabella. Tuberculosis is an infectious disease caused by a type of bacteria called Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the DOH said. This disease “most commonly affects the lungs, when it is called pulmonary tuberculosis, but also can involve any other organ of the body in which case it is called extra-pulmonary tuberculosis,” the Health agency said. Tuberculosis spreads primarily from person to person through infected air during close contact, the DOH said. “The bacteria get into the air when someone infected with TB of the lung coughs, sneezes, shouts, or spits. A person can become infected when they inhale minute particles of the infected sputum from the air,” it said. “It is not possible to get TB by just touching the clothes or shaking the hand of someone who is infected,” it added. Most common symptoms of tuberculosis are chronic cough, fever, night sweats, chest pain, weight loss, loss of appetite, and coughing up blood, the DOH said.