Tuberculosis cases are starting to pick up throughout the Valley, and that's concerning for a lot of local public health professionals.

Seven cases of tuberculosis have been reported in Cameron County so far this year. It’s a number Cameron County Public Health TB Supervisor Narciso Lopez said is high for this time of year.

“We're in an area where there's high prevalence of tuberculosis cases, especially because we're close to the border too,” Lopez said.

In 2022, 51 cases of tuberculosis were reported in Cameron County. The year before saw 39 cases, and 22 cases were reported in 2020.

Lopez said he believes the number was likely higher, but tuberculosis testing and treatment dropped off once the pandemic hit because doctors were hyper focused on testing for COVID-19. 

Some tuberculosis symptoms mirror the virus. 

A similar trend was reported in Hidalgo County.

Hidalgo County Health Authority Dr. Ivan Melendez said tuberculosis case counts dropped into 30s during the first two years of the pandemic. The pre-pandemic case count average ranged between 60 and 80.

“We had been 50% less cases, being reported, we don't expect that actually occurred,” Melendez said.

Both health experts said tuberculosis can affect anyone at any age, and treatments are available.

Those experiencing coughing, sneezing, chest pain, fatigue or dealing with night sweats are urged to speak to their doctor.

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