Public health officials address Tuberculosis case in McKenzie County
By M.K. French
Farmer Staff Writer
The Upper Missouri District Health Unit (UMDHU) and the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) are working together to address a single case of active Tuberculosis (TB) identified in McKenzie County. Public health officials want to assure residents that there is no current outbreak, and the risk to the community is low. “TB is a serious but treatable disease,” said Ashley Saylor, RN, a Public Health Nurse at UMDHU. “The individual with active TB is currently isolating at home following healthcare provider instructions to prevent further spread.”
UMDHU has identified everyone who may have had prolonged contact with the infected person and notified them for testing. These individuals are considered close contacts and are at a higher risk of infection. Saylor emphasized the understanding that there may be concern, but the risk of contracting TB for the general public is very low. “TB is not easily spread. It requires prolonged exposure to someone who is coughing or sneezing while infectious.”
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