New Scientist reveals that, worldwide, more people died from TB than from AIDS:
This year marks the deadline for the Millennium Development Goal of cutting the number of TB cases globally, set in 2000 by the UN. The World Health Organization’s annual report on the disease, out this week, says that goal has been reached. Even so, TB remains a major threat, killing 1.5 million people in 2014. The death toll for HIV was 1.2 million.
“TB mortality is falling slowly, but we have had to re-estimate the global situation based on new information we received from crucial countries including Indonesia,” says Mario Raviglione, director of the WHO’s Global TB Programme. At the same time, there has been a reduction in HIV-related deaths, due to increased availability of antiretroviral drugs. “While TB incidence is falling, HIV is coming down more quickly,” Raviglione says.
—
So it’s good news. Could be better.