TUBERCULOSIS OUTBREAK IN NORTHEAST KANSAS
NEWS
TOPEKA— As the medical communities in Kansas and Missouri prepare for the respiratory illness season, health officials are confronted with an early COVID-19 infection surge and higher-than-average tuberculosis infections in Wyandotte County.
Since July, the prevalence of COVID-19 has been consistently increasing in Kansas, Missouri, and throughout the United States. During a medical update from the University of Kansas Health System on Friday morning, physicians reported that the increase is comparable to the surge in infections observed in January and surpasses the rates of last summer.
However, these rates are only the beginning, and medical professionals are uncertain about the potential impact of the upcoming respiratory illness season, particularly in light of the fact that the number of ongoing COVID-19 vaccinations has begun to decline, despite the recent availability of a new FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccine at commercial pharmacies.
"I believe that there is a significantly higher prevalence of illness in the home." Numerous additional assessments are administered at home. Dana Hawkinson, an infectious disease specialist at KU Health, stated, "There are numerous individuals who are not conducting testing."
According to the Respiratory Illnesses Data Channel of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Kansas has experienced minimal respiratory illness activity.
Nevertheless, the channel reports that the level of COVID-19 activity detected in wastewater systems throughout Kansas is increasing, as is the case on a regional and national scale. According to the CDC's website, the monitoring of wastewater can provide early warning signs that infections are increasing or decreasing in a specific community, without requiring individuals to present with symptoms.
For the first time since May, hospitals will be required to report their COVID numbers in November. This will provide medical professionals with the opportunity to gain a more comprehensive understanding of infection rates through data.
Although many flu cases have not yet been reported in hospitals, physicians have advised that individuals receive a flu vaccine in addition to the new COVID vaccine and a respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine, if necessary.
According to Chakshu Gupta, the chief medical officer at Liberty Hospital in Liberty, Missouri, the most effective method of preventing severe COVID-19 infections is through the use of a vaccine.
"It is extremely disheartening to be in a nation with such a well-educated, well-informed population, yet our vaccination rates against a severe illness are in the low 15 to 20%," he stated during the Friday morning update.
An outbreak of tuberculosis in Wyandotte County
The number of confirmed cases of active tuberculosis in Kansas this year has reached 82, nearly double the 46 cases recorded last year. Jill Bronaugh, a spokeswoman for the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, stated in an email that all active cases are being treated to prevent the spread. Wyandotte County was the source of over half of the 57 cases this year, while Johnson County reported six.
Bronaugh stated that tuberculosis is an infectious disease that is typically associated with the lungs and is caused by a specific form of bacteria. "It is transmitted through the air when individuals who are infected cough, speak, or sing."
In Kansas this year, two individuals have succumbed to tuberculosis. The cause of the increase this year has not been determined. Bronaugh stated that the CDC is collaborating with the state and county health departments to prevent the transmission of tuberculosis.