Two dead, dozens sickened in Kansas tuberculosis outbreak
wave of tuberculosis cases hitting the Kansas City, Kansas, metro area has caused dozens of illnesses and at least two deaths, according to the state health department.
Two dead, dozens sickened in Kansas tuberculosis outbreak
wave of tuberculosis cases hitting the Kansas City, Kansas, metro area has caused dozens of illnesses and at least two deaths, according to the state health department.
Cases related to the outbreak were first reported in January 2024, and there were two reported TB deaths last year associated with this outbreak, Jill Bronaugh, a spokesperson for the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, said Tuesday.
“This outbreak is still ongoing, which means that there could be more cases,” Bronaugh said in an email. “We are working with and following the As of Friday, there have been at least 67 people treated for confirmed active TB infections in the outbreak, and there have been 79 confirmed latent cases, in which TB is detected in the body but it’s not causing disease and making people sickTB is an infectious disease that most often affects the lungs and is caused by a type of bacteria. It spreads through the air when infected people cough, speak, or sing,” Bronaugh said. “While there is a very low risk of infection to the general public in these communities, KDHE is working to ensure that patients are receiving appropriate treatment, which will limit the ability to spread this disease and prevent additional cases from occurring.”
The state health department has not said what caused the outbreak. Affected local health departments are working with each patient to identify possible close contacts and conduct TB testing at no cost,
