The B.C. legislature, Victoria City Hall and the Capital Regional District building on Fisgard Street will be bathed in red light this evening to mark World Tuberculosis Day.
The event is part of a global effort to shine a light on the fight against tuberculosis. It is held on the anniversary of the day in 1882 when Dr. Robert Koch announced that he had discovered the bacterium that causes TB.
According to the World Health Organization, 10 million people around the world became sick with TB in 2016 and about 1.6 million people died. Most were in low- or middle-income countries.
In Canada, there are about 1,600 new cases of active TB reported every year. Those affected are primarily people born in other countries and First Nations. Health Canada says the rate of active TB in the country is among the lowest in the world.
The disease, which mainly affects the lungs, is spread through tiny droplets released into the air via coughs and sneezes and is a leading killer of people who are infected with HIV. It can be treated with antibiotics.
RESULTS Canada, an advocacy group focused on issues of extreme poverty, says greater awareness is needed to make sure the federal government supports initiatives to eradicate TB.
