Donetsk, Jan 4 - DAN. DPR’s tuberculosis incidence decreased by 21 percent in 2017 from pre-war period, the Republic’s Health Care Ministry press service told Donetsk News Agency.

"DPR achieved a decrease in the incidence of socially significant diseases in 2017, the TB rate fell by 21 percent, while TB-related mortality rate, compared with pre-war period, plunged by 53 percent,” the press service said. Also, DPR posted a decrease in HIV infection rate.

The Ministry earlier reported that Ukraine was among the 12 European countries with the highest TB incidence. Before the Donbass war, the former Donetsk region’s estimated TB incidence exceeded the national average by 20 to 30 percent. This happened because of unique concentration of the risk factors for virus airborne transmission, such as high population density, urbanisation rate and respiratory system pathology in the area. *jk