The Broome County Sheriff’s Office and the Broome County Health Department have dispelled social media reports surrounding an alleged tuberculosis outbreak at the Broome County Jail.
The sheriff’s department and health department released a joint statement Dec. 11 notifying the public that despite recent rumors, there are no confirmed cases of the respiratory bacterial infection within the jail.
One inmate, according to a press release, began to show “respiratory disease-like symptoms” and was transported to a local hospital earlier this week. The inmate is undergoing testing and treatment under the supervision of the health department.
Broome County Sheriff Fred Akshar said that all detainees entering the jail “are given a full health screening, whichincludes various tests, including testing for tuberculosis.”
“Those individuals are quarantined until test results come back, per state guidelines and facility policy,” Akshar stated. “Over the past three years, no incarcerated individual or detainee has tested positive for TB.”
Broome County Health Department Director of Public Health Olivia Catalano urged the public not to panic, stating “respiratory illnesses exist in our community all year long.”
Broome County Medical Director Dr. Lazarus Gehring said TB is a “slow growing bacterium,” and that exposure to it does not necessarily mean you will contract the infection.
“If you know you were exposed to someone who is TB positive, you can contact our health department,” Gehring stated. “We will provide you step by step what needs to be done, testing access and education.”
An apparent unrelated death at Broome County Correctional Facility Dec. 8 is under investigation.
What is TB?
Each year, tuberculosis kills some 1.25 million people globally and more than 10 times that number become infected with the disease annually, according to the World Health Organization. In fact, the disease is so prevalent that the organization has identified tuberculosis as one of the top 10 leading causes of deaths worldwide.
Tuberculosis is a bacterial infection that primarily affects a person’s lungs. It can be spread through the air when people with TB cough, sneeze or spit.
Generally, people infected with tuberculosis don’t experience any symptoms and are not contagious. Only a small percentage of people who become infected will actually contract the tuberculosis disease and begin to develop symptoms.
These symptoms range widely and depend on which part of the body is affected. Tuberculosis typically affects the lungs but it can also affect the kidneys, brain and spine. This can cause common symptoms like a prolonged cough, chest pain, weakness, fatigue, weight loss, fever and night sweats.
When someone is diagnosed with the infection or disease, they’re treated with special antibiotics that must be taken for up to six months.
This article originally appeared on Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin: No tuberculosis cases in Broome County jail: Sheriff, Health Department
Reporting by Jillian McCarthy, Binghamton Press & Sun Bulletin / Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
