(File photo/paNOW News)

By Derek Craddock

TUBERCULOSIS

Tuberculosis cases nearly double in Black Lake and Fond Du Lac, six weeks after outbreak declared

Nov 25, 2021 | 12:25 PM

Six weeks after issuing an outbreak alert for Tuberculosis (TB), the Athabasca Health Authority (AHA) said cases have nearly doubled in their region.

The AHA said that as of Nov. 19, 24 cases have been reported, 15 in Fond Du Lac and nine in Black Lake.

When the outbreak was originally declared on Oct. 8, there were 13 confirmed cases of TB in the region.

Tuberculosis is caused by bacteria that is spread through the air and mainly affects the lungs, and possibly other parts of the body, such as the brain, kidneys, or spine.

Executive Director of Primary Health Care for the AHA Dr. Taiwo Olubanwo said seeing a rise in cases is not uncommon after they reached out to many close contacts.

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“In some areas, you will have maybe 20 per cent or 50 per cent of the close contacts potentially positive. We have about five per cent or thereabouts positive from those contacts.”

The AHA said about 157 close contacts were identified in Black Lake and 70 in Fond Du Lac from the Oct. 8 cases.

About 45 per cent of positive cases are children under the age of 17.

Olubanwo said TB clinics and contact tracing efforts are ongoing and that thankfully the positive cases are being managed.

“I can tell you now that we have more hires, and we have a number of our team working with our partners.”

To help manage the cases Olubanwo is encouraging residents to follow through and complete the treatment regimen they’ve been given.

“It’s very, very essential to complete because the behaviour of TB could be complicated. Some medications are used. If you don’t complete your treatment, then it might impact the outcome.”

Several prescribed antibiotics are used to help treat and cure the disease.

Last year, the World Health Organization (WHO) said about 9.9 million people became ill with Tuberculosis and 1.5 million died from the disease.

In Canada, close to 1,800 positive cases were reported in 2020, a drop from 1,900 the year before.

—

derek.craddock@pattisonmedia.com

Twitter: @PA_Craddock