China reports 900,000 TB cases in 2011

Beijing: Around 900,000 cases of tuberculosis were discovered and treated in China in 2011, the health ministry said.

The cases included 423,000 infectious cases,

Xiao Donglou, a health inspector from the ministry, said China was now focusing on HIV-TB co-infections.

He said over 1,700 HIV-TB co-infections were reported last year.

China is also cooperating with the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

Under another programme helped by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the time needed to diagnose a case of drug-resistant tuberculosis has been shortened from six to eight weeks to just six hours using state-of-the-art technology, the official said.

The government last year invested 165 million yuan (about $26 million) in upgradation of 35 tuberculosis hospitals.

IANS

Zee News App: Read latest news of India and world, bollywood news, business updates, cricket scores, etc. Download the Zee news app now to keep up with daily breaking news and live news event coverage.