2 Dead in Midwest Tuberculosis Outbreak – Largest on Record

(StraightShooterNews.com) – Reeling from a troubling rise in tuberculosis cases, Kansas City is marking the largest outbreak in the U.S. since the 1950s, which has claimed two patients’ lives.

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The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) reports growing infection rates and necessary measures to stop this public health crisis.

Kansas City is grappling with a tuberculosis (TB) outbreak in Wyandotte County, the largest in the nation since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) began monitoring the disease.

Health officials reported 67 active TB cases in Wyandotte and Johnson counties, with two fatalities in 2024.

Despite the spread, they claim the general public faces a “very low risk” of infection.

Health officials state that TB spreads through close, repeated contact, primarily from the air when infected individuals cough, speak, or sing.

This outbreak has been described as unprecedented due to its rapid rise in a short timeframe, KCUR reports.

Jill Bronaugh, KDHE Communications Director, emphasized the agency’s ongoing efforts to monitor and mitigate the spread, collaborating with major employers to detect both latent and active TB cases.

Wyandotte County reports 60 active TB cases, and Johnson County sees seven more.

In 2023, the combined areas saw a total of 79 active infections and 213 latent cases.

The disease’s symptoms—persistent cough, fever, and coughing up blood—are concerning, though treatment typically cures patients effectively.

“We do expect to find more, but we’re hoping the ‘more’ that we find is latent TB and not active, so that their lives are not disrupted,” said Ashley Goss, Deputy Secretary for the KDHE, cited by NBC Chicago.

The outbreak draws attention to the vulnerability of certain groups, including those in nursing homes or with weakened immune systems.

Still, the CDC confirms there is a relatively low risk to the broader public.

“Given adequate treatment, almost all patients will recover and be cured,” stresses the CDC.

Kansas health officials, alongside local agencies and CDC guidelines, are tirelessly working to treat the infection effectively.

However, without proper intervention, the latent form of tuberculosis may develop into a serious, life-threatening version of the disease.

The KDHE remains vigilant, urging the community to remain informed and participate in public health strategies against this serious respiratory condition.

 StraightShooterNews.com