THE Ministry of Health registered a total of 218 TB patients in 2012.
These statistics were released in the National Tuberculosis Programme (NTP) Surveillance Report for 2012.
According to the report the Health Ministry recorded 213 new and relapse cases in 2012 — a massive 48 per cent increase from new and relapse cases recorded in 2009.
The report was based primarily on data reported by the three main DOTS (Directly Observed Treatment Strategy) centres located in the Central, Western and Northern divisions.
Statistics in the report showed majority of these cases were recorded in people between the ages of 15-24 with 42 cases recorded in the age group.
The second highest number of cases were recorded in people from the ages of 25-34 with 38 cases while people from the ages of 45-44 reported 34 cases of TB.
"TB continues to affect the young productive age groups indicating new and recent TB infection," the report said.
"This trend is similar in the past years. TB control needs to be intensified to reduce the number of new infections through early case detection and successful treatment," the report said.
The Central Division recorded the highest number of TB infections wih 129 cases while the Western and Northern Divisions recorded 52 and 37 cases respectively.
The NTP report also attributed social and environmental factors for males having more cases of TB.
"57 per cent (124) of total cases were males," the report said.
"2011 and 2010 reported a similar percentage (56 per cent) of males who had TB, the slightly higher percentage represented by males indicates social and environmental factors that may cause differences in the number of cases among males than females," the report added.