TB Cases Surge: 9 New Infections This Year Amid Ongoing Treatment

The Yakima Health District is now reporting 17 people are being treated for Tuberculosis or TB in Yakima County up from 16 cases earlier this week. Officials at the Yakima Health District say 9 new cases have been reported so far this year. They say a total of 10 new cases were reported in all of 2024. So this year they have 9 new cases with 8 existing for a total of 17 people who are going through a 6 to 9 month treatment.

WHAT? THE DISEASE CAN REMAIN DORMANT FOR YEARS?

Tuberculosis, or TB, is a disease that spreads from person to person through the air and usually affects the lungs, but can attack any part of the body. A press release from the district says the disease can remain dormant for years as latent TB infection (LTBI), meaning the person has no symptoms and cannot spread the disease.
Without treatment TB can become serious leading to severe illness and transmission to others.

IT'S A LONG TREATMENT

Treatment for active TB disease can take six to nine months depending on the treatment plan. So what are the symptoms? They include a cough lasting three weeks or longer, chest pain, coughing up blood or phlegm, weakness or fatigue, weight loss, loss of appetite, chills, fever, or night sweats.

THERE IS SOME GOOD NEWS

Melissa Sixberry, Director of Disease Control, Yakima Health District says "while we are monitoring these cases closely, it is important to emphasize that the risk to the general public remains low. Our priority is safeguarding the health of the community through early detection, testing, and treatment.”
While Yakima is seeing Tuberculosis cases health officials are also concerned about Measles. Outbreaks are being reported in Texas and Ohio.