The Long Beach, California, City Council declared a public health emergency May 2 in response to a tuberculosis outbreak.
The outbreak has already had severe consequences, with nine individuals hospitalized and one fatality, a City of Long Beach press release reads. Dr. Anissa Davis, the city’s health officer, initially declared the emergency following the discovery of 14 cases at a single-room occupancy hotel. Approximately 175 people were exposed to the disease as of Monday, increasing the urgency for effective intervention, according to NBC News.
This local crisis coincides with a national uptick in tuberculosis cases, which surged by 16% last year, breaking a 27-year trend of declines, NBC News reported. Experts attribute this increase to diminished healthcare during the pandemic and delayed diagnoses. The health department pointed out that the affected individuals struggle with health care access.
“The outbreak is currently isolated to a distinct population and the risk to the general public is low,” the press release states. “The population at risk in this outbreak has significant barriers to care including homelessness and housing insecurity, mental illness, substance use and serious medical comorbidities.”
The City Council of Long Beach, California, is poised to authorize a public health emergency in response to a local outbreak of tuberculosis. https://t.co/cT5PVK9a9f
— NBC News (@NBCNews) May 8, 2024
Jennifer Rice Epstein, the public affairs officer for the health department, highlighted the importance of organized assistance.
“The health department is mostly grant funded, so we need to have the structure in place so that we can get our internal resources where they’re needed most right now,” she stated, NBC News reported. (RELATED: CBP Says Three Migrants Arrived To Border With Tuberculosis: REPORT)
Epidemiological experts, including Dr. Luke Davis of Yale and Dr. Priya Shete of UCSF, are emphasizing the need for enhanced public health measures and regular screening among high-risk groups to curb further spread, the outlet reported.
“Living in poverty, not having good access to nutrition, not having access to sunlight and fresh air — all these are things that are going to make it much easier for TB to spread and take advantage of vulnerable people,” Davis said, according to NBC News. Given that tuberculosis can remain dormant for years before becoming active, there is a significant risk that undiagnosed infections will develop into active cases.