| OKLAHOMA CITY (March 18, 2021) – Tuberculosis (TB) is usually the #1 infectious disease killer in the world – until COVID-19 – claiming 1.5 million lives each year. On Wednesday, March 24, the Oklahoma State Department of Health joins the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO), and partners from around the world, to recognize World TB Day 2021. World TB Day is a day to educate the public about the impact of TB around the world, to share successes in TB prevention, and control and raise awareness of the challenges that hinder our progress toward the elimination of this devastating disease. March 24 marks the day in 1882 when Dr. Robert Koch announced his discovery of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacillus that causes TB, which opened the way towards diagnosing and curing the disease. TB remains one of the world's deadliest infectious killers. Each day, nearly 4,000 people lose their lives to TB and close to 28,000 people fall ill with this preventable and curable disease. Global efforts to combat TB have saved an estimated 63 million lives since the year 2000. The theme of World TB Day 2021 is "The Clock is Ticking," intended to convey the sense that the world is running out of time to act on the commitments to end TB made by global leaders. RELATED VIDEO: World TB Day Personal Stories Montage 2021 Tuberculosis Fact Sheet ### | 
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