Pakistan Reports 12,419 Suspected TB Cases in One Week, Sindh 11,997

Short answer: Pakistan reported 12,419 suspected tuberculosis (TB) cases in week 38 of 2026, down from 12,595 the week before, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) says. Sindh sent 11,997 of them, about 97 per cent. If you have a cough that will not go away, a free TB test is the next step.

The NIH put the bulletin online on Friday 9 October 2026. We read the week 38 and week 37 tables ourselves. Punjab did not report in either week, so the national count leaves out the largest province. That is why Sindh looks like it holds almost every case.

Sindh reported 11,997 of Pakistan's 12,419 TB cases

Pakistan's weekly count of suspected TB fell by 176 cases in week 38, from 12,595 to 12,419. Sindh reported 11,997, down from 12,105. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had 260, Gilgit-Baltistan 101, AJK 34, Islamabad 14 and Balochistan 13.

TB was among the five most frequently reported diseases in the bulletin, behind acute diarrhoea, malaria, flu-like illness and chest infections in children under five. The NIH counts these cases through its Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response system, called IDSR. Clinics in 158 districts send weekly forms. Every figure is a suspected case, not a confirmed one.

NR means not reported. The bulletin does not explain why Punjab is missing.

Sanghar, Badin and Khairpur lead Sindh's TB districts

Sanghar reported the most suspected TB cases in Sindh in week 38, with 995. Badin had 911, Khairpur 863, Larkana 857 and Kamber 785. Those five districts account for 4,411 cases, about 37 per cent of the province's 11,997.

Sanghar and Badin both fell from the week before, from 1,143 and 1,041. Khairpur, Larkana and Kamber rose slightly. Karachi's seven districts together reported only 423 cases, about 4 per cent of the Sindh count. That is more likely a sign of where patients are counted than of a city with little TB, because many Karachi patients use private clinics that do not send IDSR forms.

Public labs tested only 934 people and found 134 positives

The NIH's laboratory table for week 38 lists 934 TB tests in public health laboratories and 134 positives. Sindh tested 743 and found 114. Balochistan tested 142 and found 19. Gilgit-Baltistan tested 49 and found 1.

Compare 743 Sindh tests with 11,997 suspected Sindh cases. The lab table records far fewer tests than suspected cases, so the suspected count is a signal and not a diagnosis. We do not know how many of the suspected patients were tested somewhere that does not report to this table. In week 37, Sindh had tested 720 and found 84.

A cough that lasts weeks is the sign to get tested

The World Health Organization (WHO) lists a prolonged cough, sometimes with blood, as a common TB symptom. Others are chest pain, weakness, fatigue, weight loss, fever and night sweats. TB is preventable and curable, and early treatment helps stop it spreading to others.

WHO says TB spreads through the air when a person with TB coughs, sneezes or spits. Some people with TB disease have no symptoms but can still spread it. People at higher risk include those with HIV, diabetes, undernutrition or a weak immune system, and those who live with a person who has TB. We list where to get a free test in Punjab in free TB test and treatment in Punjab.

1. See a doctor if a cough lasts more than a couple of weeks, or if you have weight loss, night sweats or fever with it.
2. Ask for a TB test at a government health facility, and ask whether it is free there.
3. If you are told you have TB, take every dose for the full course, even after you feel better.
4. Cover your mouth when you cough and keep rooms ventilated.
5. Ask people you live with to get screened.

The "couple of weeks" figure in step 1 is our plain-language reading of WHO's "prolonged cough". Ask your doctor for the exact rule that applies to you.

What the NIH asks the health departments to do

The week 38 bulletin does not list TB actions on its public health actions page. That page covers viral hepatitis and dog bites this week. Its comments on TB are limited to the count, and a note that TB fell in Gilgit-Baltistan.

So there is no official order to read into this number. The bulletin states that all reported cases are suspected, and that field investigation is needed to verify alerts. Treat the weekly figure as a trend to watch, not a verdict on any district. We will report the next bulletin if the NIH publishes it.

Common questions

How many TB cases did Pakistan report in week 38?

The NIH counted 12,419 suspected TB cases in week 38 of 2026, down from 12,595 in week 37. Sindh reported 11,997. Punjab did not report.

Are these confirmed TB cases?

No. The NIH says all reported cases are suspected. The laboratory table lists 934 tests and 134 positives, and that table covers only people who were tested.

Why does Sindh have so many more cases than Punjab?

Punjab did not report for week 38, so it is missing from the count. Sindh also had a 100 per cent reporting rate that week, the highest of any area. The figures cannot be used to rank the provinces.

Which Sindh district reported the most TB cases?

Sanghar reported 995 suspected cases, followed by Badin with 911 and Khairpur with 863.

Can TB be cured?

Yes. WHO says TB is preventable and curable, and that it is usually treated with antibiotics. It can be fatal without treatment.

Where can I get a free TB test?

For Punjab, see where to get a free TB test in Punjab. We have not checked the other provinces for this article, so ask at your nearest government hospital if you live elsewhere.

How we verified this

What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.

Last checked on 11 October 2026. We read the NIH's Public Health Bulletin, Pakistan, Week 38, 2026 and the Week 37 bulletin, both listed on the NIH's IDSR weekly reports page. Province figures are from Table 1, Sindh districts from Table 2 and laboratory results from Table 5. TB symptoms and risk groups are from the WHO tuberculosis fact sheet.