"This disease" returned as the No. 1 cause of death from infectious diseases as COVID-19 slowed down.

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While COVID-19 has subsided, 'tuberculosis' is expected to become the number one cause of death from infectious diseases worldwide.

According to a report released by the World Health Organization (WHO) on the 29th (local time), more than 8.2 million people around the world were diagnosed with tuberculosis last year, of which 1.25 million died.

It is the highest annual number of new cases since the tally of tuberculosis cases began in 1995.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, 14.9 million COVID-19-related deaths were counted between 2020 and 2021.

Although relevant statistics have not been clearly identified since 2022 when the international health emergency (PHEIC) for COVID-19 was lifted, the number of COVID-19 deaths is estimated to have already plummeted below the tens of thousands per year.

Accordingly, tuberculosis is highly likely to overtake COVID-19 to return to the top cause of death from infectious diseases.

Most of the new TB cases occurred in Southeast Asia (45%), followed by Africa (24%) and the Western Pacific (17%).

The WHO found the cause of the increase in the number of tuberculosis patients in funding problems.

The World Fund, an international organization established to combat AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria, distributes fundraising money mainly to countries at high risk of outbreaks, but funds to respond to tuberculosis have become insufficient.

Tuberculosis is an infectious disease caused by bacteria, mostly affecting the lungs and spreading bacteria into the air when tuberculosis patients spit, such as coughing or sneezing.

Diabetes, high blood pressure, tobacco and alcohol can increase the risk of tuberculosis and are particularly dangerous for people with weakened immune systems due to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

It is estimated that about a quarter of the world's population has tuberculosis, but only about 5-10% of them develop symptoms, the WHO explained.

Tuberculosis symptoms include long-term cough, chest pain, fever, and weight loss, and it is recommended to visit a nearby medical institution for diagnostic tests and receive medication as soon as symptoms are detected.

Reporter Park Sun-young of Digital News Team