Criticism mounts as rates of TB increase

CRITICISM has been levelled on the Department of Health after it emerged yesterday that the number of reported TB cases in Cork and Kerry is beginning to rise again.

For the first four months of this year there were 30 cases reported in the two counties, and if this trend continues the total number for 2006 would be 90.

The HSE (Southern Region) said that last year there were 77 reported in the region, which was four more than 2004. They broke down into 68 cases in Cork and nine in Kerry. The peak number of cases for 2005 was in September when 12 were dealt with. The lowest was in July when none were reported.