When TB is good news

[AndyG]

We have had a bad run here with old farts and not so old falling off the perch unexpectedly, or being diagnosed with Cancer (treatable) like myself.

So when a colleague starting acting like he had a broken conrod, and him being a chronic smoker, we all assumed the big C.

The good news its only :p TB

Now in isolation in Cairns for 2 weeks, no ciggies and no Wifi ;)

[p38arover]

I seem to remember reports that TB had been eradicated in Oz but you still have it up in PNG?

Edit: Ahh, it seems it's coming back with Aussies tourists from Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam.

Also:


PNG has the highest rate of TB infection in the Pacific, with an estimated 39,000 total cases and 25,000 new infections each year.

[AndyG]

And quite nasty resistant variants too, due to medication misuse

[roverrescue]

The Torres Strait health service does an amazing job of protecting Australia from TB.
There would be more TB drifting south from PNG than cashed up tourism from SEAsia.

Recently an increased push has been made to ensure that TB stays north of the straits.

Public health work like TB often flys under the radar but it is one tax payer spend that keeps Australia the best country in the world to live...

S