It’s all about numbers and the numbers to remember are 1, 16-hundred and eight million.
It’s the number of tuberculosis cases discovered last year in Bruce and Grey; in Canada; and around the world respectively.
Public Health Nurse with the Grey Bruce Health Unit, Debbie Minielly says today is World TB Day.
Minielly says it’s an opportunity to let everyone know that this contagious disease still exists and although it’s treatable, it can be deadly.
She says with global travel reduced to hours to get anywhere in the world, more people are travelling to third world countries where the disease is very prevalent.
As well, carriers of the disease from those countries are coming to Canada as refugees or immigrants.
The day is to make everyone aware that the lung disease can be spread.
Minielly says thankfully there was only one case of TB in Bruce and Grey last year but the numbers are staggering around the world.
Every second of everyday, someone, somewhere in the world is infected with TB to the tune of 8-million cases a year.
Minielly hopes people will make themselves more aware of what tuberculosis is and what should be done to help prevent it by doing research on the internet.