A report released by the public health officials reveal cases of Tuberculosis (TB) has been increased by about 7 percent in the Los Angeles County.
In 2012 there were 625 cases, which rose to 666 the following year.
Dr Jonathan Fielding, Director of Department of Public Health, wrote to the county Board of Supervisors that the increase in TB cases in the LA County was mainly among the homeless people.
TB mainly attacks the lungs. It is potentially deadly disease and recently it has been seen spreading rapidly. Since 2007 it has attacked the county’s homeless people. In 2012 the officials reported 39 cases among homeless Angelenos. The number rose to 65 in 2013.
In 2013 the disease was spread beyond expectation and Fielding said it is the largest outbreak of TB in a decade. With the combined effort of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the health staff of the county and shelter workers treated infected homeless and also to more than 4,600 other people who may have been exposed to the disease or may have come in contacted with the infected.
The TB bacteria spreads through the air in droplets from the coughs, sneezes and laughs in the form of droplets. It can live in the body of a person for decades without sickening them.
The homeless are mostly contracted with the disease as they move about often, have conccurrent medical, live in crowded conditions and etc.
Source: www.thealmagest.com
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