Meerut: With the second phase of the door-to-door drive against Tuberculosis, 96 more cases of the disease were discovered in the urban slums of Meerut (there were 80 confirmed cases in the first phase). In the 10-day-long campaign, conducted from December 26, 2017 to January 5, 2018 in 25 districts of UP, 189 teams of doctors and health officers screened 5.27 lakh people, going from door to door to collect cough samples. A third phase of the campaign is also likely. Samples of 1,639 patients suspected to have TB were collected in the second phase, as compared to 1,538 in the first phase, which was a two-week-long drive conducted in August last year. Also, the second phase of the drive exceeded its target to examine 5.26 lakh people by looking at 10,000 more. Talking to TOI, Dr MS Fauzdar, Meerut district tuberculosis officer, said, “In the 10-day long drive, 5.27 lakh people, against the actual target of 5.26 lakh people, were examined. Out of the total examined people, sputum samples of 1,639 people, who were considered suspected patients, were taken. After testing the samples, 96 people were found to be suffering from Tuberculosis. The treatment of these patients has been started and their cases are being followed up.” He added, “Since the number of people examined exceeded the target, chances of finding TB in patients also increased considerably. A third phase of examining the disease will also take place, as and when the orders from the state authorities reach us.” The door-to-door drive is the part of a nation-wide effort to eradicate the disease that has re-emerged as a potent killer, claiming more than 4.06 lakh lives in the country every year. Government data suggests that out of the total TB patients in the country, one-fifth are in Uttar Pradesh.