Two Cases Of Active Tuberculosis Identified
The Department of Health issued a statement to inform the public that it has identified two cases of active Tuberculosis [TB] on the island, and said one case involves a school aged child.
A statement from the Ministry said: “The ‘contact tracing process’ is already underway and will include students in the P3 year at Heron Bay Primary School, as one of the cases is a school-aged child.
“The Department of Health and the Department of Education are working together to ensure that families have been notified, and the process is unfolding uneventfully.
“P3 parents at Heron Bay Primary have been informed in writing and a presentation will be made by Department of Health tomorrow evening.
“However, the identity of individuals will be protected to ensure the emotional wellbeing of any minor children potentially involved in the situation. We appeal to the media and public to respect their right to privacy.
“The Department of Health assures the public that the individuals who need to be contacted, assessed and treated will receive notice from the Nurse Epidemiologist or another representative of the Department of Health. There is no need to contact the Department of Health directly.
“Bermuda is considered a low incidence area for TB and one to three cases are reported each year to the Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit. This situation is somewhat unusual due to the scope of the contact tracing which must be performed and the fact that a school is involved.
“Tuberculosis is very common in many regions of the world, particularly in developing nations where poverty, over-crowding, poor nutrition and inadequate access to health care exist. TB is caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis which typically infects the lungs but can affect other areas of the body.
“This infection can spread from person to person through the air. When an infected person coughs, sneezes or otherwise expels infected saliva droplets into the air, others can inhale these infected droplets and become likewise infected.
“Close contact with an infected individual or inhaling aerosolized droplets in the air is required for infection to occur. TB is not easily transmitted via casual contact.
“Not all individuals who become infected with TB become ill. Tuberculosis infection is often without symptoms, and is called “latent TB”. When an individual becomes ill, we call it “Active TB”. In the classic case of active respiratory TB the individual experiences fever, night sweats, weight loss, poor appetite, fatigue and shortness of breath.
“Reliable testing and treatment for TB is available. The screening test for TB is a simple skin test and/or a blood test. Chest x-rays are sometimes required as part of the evaluation.
“Affected individuals are treated with an anti-tuberculosis medication, or a combination of medications, for several months. Close medical monitoring is required to assure adequate treatment.
“Adequately treated individuals are no longer infectious to others after a few weeks of treatment, and may return to work or school. Typically, with treatment, individuals recover fully from the disease.”
TB most common in areas of poverty, lack of health insurance,poor nutrition and overcrowded…hmmmmmmm and particularly common in underdeveloped areas..well we certainly can’t be accusedof being underdeveloped however it is worrisome that we no have a lck of health insurance in some cases of possible carriers, and poor nutrition as well as possible overcrowding..Bermuda was once sterile…We certainly dropped the ball on our health…I hope the children will be improved and we can get control of the situation expiditiously.
This is what is important folks, we need to get our priorities in order, TB is very serious.
When one first comes to Bermuda to work, they are subjected to a chest x-ray before being given the all clear to stay here and work. However, we have guest workers going to their home countries to visit, and returning having been exposed to serious diseases. Let’s be real here-I’m not talking about people going home to places like the U.S., Canada, the U.K., etc.-I mean they’re going home to places like India, and because it’s so far they’ll go for a long period such as a month.
When these people come back, they aren’t subjected to any tests like when they first arrived and can bring back Lord only knows what. This isn’t an attack on Indians, but we have a lot of guest workers from that country and it’s high on my list of culprits as to where this came from.
I can just imagine the comments that will attack me but again, it’s nothing personal against guest workers from these countries-we just need to get real here. What precautions are being taken to protect Bermudians from this? Heaven only help us if a drug-resistant strain should pop up…this is very serious.
You are speaking nothing but the truth!
Yeah but now that we can import drugs from India we should be alright – right?
http://www.who.int/tb/publications/2009/airborne/background/info/en/index.html
Don’t Bermudians travel all over the world? How are you the expert to say that this came from someone from India. Once again we are perfect, blame everything on everyone else. Racist pig . Yes India, Africa, Sri Lanka, Haiti, the list goes on and on have poverty , but there is no way in Hell that “you” can say that this came from one of our guest workers and not one of our own. I hope and pray that the 2 people makes full recovery.
That chances that is came from a Bermudian travelling to one of those places is pretty slim in my opinion. Their comment was logical, yours not so much. I don’t see how it’s racist either but more based on facts. Nowhere did they state that Bermuda is perfect but Bermuda is a developed country, we do not have these sorts of things and ‘Mayan’ said India is high on their lists of where it originated, not that they know that for a fact. Mayan also said the same about the United States, Canada and the UK. Why would you single out them claiming Bermuda is perfect when that was never stated?
Why are you so offended by something that was not offensive? The same could, yes, also apply to Bermudians traveling back and forth to these countries.
@Praying Hands: How can you have a username like you do, and then call people ‘racist pigs’? I haven’t made any attacks against Indians-I’m just stating the facts…a lot of people there live in impoverished conditions where they tend to have these types of diseases. Any guest worker going home to these countries would be exposed to this. I have a friend who works in a doctor’s office and a few years ago there was a case of TB and it was from this scenario-a guest worker going home to India and bringing it back to Bermuda. The odds are greater that this is the way it happened so stop being so silly and sensitive, grow a brain and really think about this.
Yes, some Bermudians visit countries where they could be exposed to this but most of us vacation in countries where we wouldn’t be. You’re getting all hot under the collar and that’s the problem-people are so quick to shoot the messenger. It’s not these peoples’ faults they’re poor and they do want to see their families but it doesn’t change the fact that it could be endangering the wellbeing of our local community. I’m not being racist or attacking them-it just is what it is. These things need to be looked at and some kind of precautions taken. Instead of throwing a temper tantrum, just GROW UP and think about this maturely and rationally…this is serious…
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and think the people now understand why the department of immigration request tb chest xrays. so it may seem like red tape, but is needed
to protect the people living on the island.
Another possible source of TB – Bermudians travelling abroad ie. Helping in Haiti
A very good point above. Guest workers are required to have an x ray to scan for TB but locals trveling overseas do not. Another thing I do not understand is that guest workers are not required to have an xray if only here on a temporary permit (can be any period from 3-9 months) however on a standard work permit the x ray is required. I am not taking a shot at guest workers, by any means, but I think some consistency is required espceially with regards to locals traveling overseas.
has anyone said the school is gonna be cleansed
well not all kids are getting vaccinated these days….
Point is they need to test everybody coming in!!!