Tulare County health leaders see spike in tuberculosis cases 

TULARE COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- People successful Tulare County are getting sick with tuberculosis.

Health leaders confirmed astatine slightest 15 cases of the illness truthful far.

"TB is simply a bacterium," said Dr. Thomas Overton, the Deputy Public Health Officer with Tulare County Public Health. "It is dispersed done the air. Primarily, individuals' lungs are infected with TB successful astir cases."

The bacteria tin dispersed erstwhile an infected idiosyncratic either coughs, speaks oregon adjacent sings. TB tin adjacent unrecorded successful the assemblage for a play of clip without making you consciousness sick.

"Tuberculosis is simply a precise slow-growing bacteria," Dr. Overton. "Sometimes, we person individuals who person had symptoms for similar a period oregon longer."

The California Department of Public Health reported past year, astir 2,100 radical were reported to person TB. State wellness leaders besides accidental the illness kills much than 200 radical each year.

"For TB, we really look for individuals who person had a cough for greater than 2 to 3 weeks," said Dr. Overton. "So that's 1 of the criteria."

Other TB Symptoms see thorax pains, fatigue, and fever, conscionable to sanction a few.

Health leaders are urging radical to instrumentality precautions to support themselves steadfast and to admit the hazard factors.

"There are countries wherever the load of TB is precise high," said Dr. Overton. "If you're from those countries oregon visiting those countries, you should beryllium getting screened for a TB infection."

While determination are medications that tin dainty TB, doctors accidental screening is the champion prevention method. A checklist posted connected the CDPH website breaks down the hazard assessment.

"Your doc tin spell done that database with you to spot if immoderate of those hazard factors are contiguous successful your situation," said Dr. Overton. "If you bash person immoderate of those hazard factors, past you would privation to get the humor test."

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