Around 10,000 Tuberculosis (TB) cases are reported in Sri Lanka during a year, says Chest Specialist – Dr. Bodhika Samarasekera.
He said this to journalists yesterday (14) while joining a TB awareness program held at the Health Promotion Bureau.
Dr. Samarasekera says that if TB is not treated on time, it could even lead to death.
He also said that since this is a disease transmitted airborne, there is a risk of it spreading to healthy persons as well. He explained that germ-laden phlegm droplets are added to the air when infected patients cough, sneeze, laugh and talk, and healthy persons are infected by breathing in these germs.
Noting that a cough lasting over two weeks, mild fever at night, weight loss, excessive night sweats, loss of appetite and blood mixed phlegm are the main symptoms of TB, health experts urge the public to go to a nearest chest clinic to get tested for free without delay, if such symptoms persist.
