{"id":23846,"date":"2026-03-24T08:02:35","date_gmt":"2026-03-24T12:02:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/richmond-city\/?p=23846"},"modified":"2026-03-24T08:05:23","modified_gmt":"2026-03-24T12:05:23","slug":"news-release-rhhd-recognizes-world-tb-day-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/richmond-city\/2026\/03\/24\/news-release-rhhd-recognizes-world-tb-day-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"News Release: RHHD Recognizes World TB Day 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:<\/span><\/b>\u00a0March\u00a024, 2026<\/span>
\nMedia Contact:<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span>Bryan Hooten, 804-807-1727, bryan.hooten@vdh.virginia.gov\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

RHHD Encourages Community Members to Seek Preventative Care, Screening for Tuberculosis<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

March 24 is World TB Day<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

RICHMOND, Va.<\/span><\/b>\u00a0\u2014Richmond and Henrico Health Districts (RHHD) encourage community members to seek preventative care, screening, and\/or treatment for tuberculosis (<\/span>TB<\/span><\/a>). Tuberculosis is a disease caused by germs that\u00a0are spread\u00a0from person to person through the air.\u00a0<\/span>World TB Day<\/span><\/a>\u00a0is on March 24.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Local and state TB data<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Data from the Virginia Department of Health<\/span><\/a>\u00a0(VDH) show that\u00a0Richmond City\u00a0(3.1)\u00a0and Henrico County\u00a0(3.0)\u00a0had higher rates of TB cases per 100,000 people than Virginia\u00a0(2.6)\u00a0in 2024.\u00a0<\/span>In\u00a0<\/span>2024<\/span><\/a>, Virginia reported 225 cases of tuberculosis (TB), a 9% increase from the 207 cases reported in 2023. This increase was expected as local and national TB numbers continued to increase after declines in reported cases during the peaks of the COVID-19 pandemic. Virginia\u2019s TB case rate increased from 2.4 cases per 100,000 persons in 2023 to 2.6 cases per 100,000 persons in 2024. Virginia\u2019s 2024 rate, as it has in the past, remained below the national rate of 3 cases per 100,000\u00a0persons.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTuberculosis continues to have an impact on public health in our\u00a0commonwealth\u00a0and our districts,\u201d said Richmond and Henrico Health\u00a0Districts\u00a0Director Elaine Perry, M.D. \u201cWorld TB Day reminds us of\u00a0the importance of prevention, diagnosis, and early treatment of this serious infectious disease.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Impact of TB<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

TB usually affects the lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body, such as the brain, the kidneys, or the spine. A person with TB can die if they do not get treatment. People with TB disease are most likely to spread\u00a0the germs\u00a0to people they spend time with every day, such as family members or coworkers. People who have been around someone who has TB disease should contact their doctor or\u00a0<\/span>local health department<\/span><\/a>\u00a0for tests. RHHD staff can help people\u00a0determine\u00a0which TB test they need.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

There are two TB-related conditions: active tuberculosis disease and latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) or inactive TB. People with active TB disease usually feel sick, have\u00a0symptoms\u00a0and can spread TB to others. People with LTBI do not feel sick, do not have symptoms, and cannot spread TB to others. Most people with inactive TB\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0know that they are infected. The RHHD Tuberculosis Program strives to prevent,\u00a0identify, and treat tuberculosis in both its latent and active forms.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The general symptoms of active TB disease include:<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n