The 'biggest monster' is spreading - and it's not the coronavirus

Deadly trio of TB, HIV and malaria set to surge as Covid-19 claims all health resources

A patient using a balloon to strengthen her lungs as she recovered from Covid-19 at a makeshift hospital in Mexico City in June. A slum area being fumigated as a preventive measure against malaria and dengue in Mumbai, India. Lockdowns and supply-cha
A slum area being fumigated as a preventive measure against malaria and dengue in Mumbai, India. Lockdowns and supply-chain disruptions amid the coronavirus pandemic threaten progress against malaria, TB and HIV. PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
A patient using a balloon to strengthen her lungs as she recovered from Covid-19 at a makeshift hospital in Mexico City in June. A slum area being fumigated as a preventive measure against malaria and dengue in Mumbai, India. Lockdowns and supply-cha
A patient using a balloon to strengthen her lungs as she recovered from Covid-19 at a makeshift hospital in Mexico City in June. PHOTO: NYTIMES
A patient using a balloon to strengthen her lungs as she recovered from Covid-19 at a makeshift hospital in Mexico City in June. A slum area being fumigated as a preventive measure against malaria and dengue in Mumbai, India. Lockdowns and supply-cha
HIV patient Thomas Wuoto in Nairobi had to borrow medications from his wife and went without any for 10 days during the city's lockdown. PHOTO: NYTIMES
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It begins with a mild fever and malaise, followed by a painful cough and shortness of breath. The infection prospers in crowds, spreading to people in close reach. Containing an outbreak requires contact tracing, as well as isolation and treatment of the sick for weeks or months.

This insidious disease has touched every part of the globe. It is tuberculosis (TB), the biggest infectious-disease killer worldwide, claiming 1.5 million lives each year.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on August 15, 2020, with the headline The 'biggest monster' is spreading - and it's not the coronavirus. Subscribe