Tuberculosis numbers continue to rise in Pangnirtung, Nunavut

In the past three months, two more people in Pangnirtung, Nunavut, have been diagnosed with active tuberculosis, and 20 more with latent tuberculosis.

That means a total of 39 people have now been diagnosed with active tuberculosis since January 2021, and 167 have been diagnosed with latent tuberculosis.

The territory officially declared a tuberculosis outbreak in the hamlet of about 1,500 people on Baffin Island in November 2021.

Active tuberculosis is contagious, while latent tuberculosis isn't but must be treated so it doesn't become active.

The territory's health department says anyone with symptoms or who has been exposed to an active case should be screened at the health centre.

Symptoms include a cough lasting longer than three weeks, tiredness, loss of appetite, fever or night sweats.

Tuberculosis hasbeen a scourge in Nunavut for decades.

Hopes were high when thefederal government announced in 2018that it would eliminate TB in Inuit communities by 2030.

Two years later, rates of TB had barely changed andfunding for the project had dried up.

The COVID-19pandemicfurther delayed effortsto eliminate the disease.

In November, the Nunavut government signed an agreement with Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. to share information on tuberculosis numbers and notify Nunavut Tunngavik of outbreaks.