TB Case Reported At Las Colinas Detention Facility In Santee

Santee CA

30 December, 2019

3:52 PM

Description

SANTEE, CA — A person tested positive for tuberculosis and may have exposed other people to the infectious bacterial disease at the Las Colinas Detention and Reentry Facility in Santee, county health officials announced. The San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency is working with the Sheriff's Department to notify people who were potentially exposed at the women's jail. People were potentially exposed from Aug. 5 to Dec. 6. The Sheriff's Department is offering free testing for its staff and all identified people in custody. HHSA's TB Control Program is offering free testing for those who do not have a medical provider. "Testing is recommended for people who were exposed to make sure they are not infected, since initial infection usually has no symptoms," said Dr. Wilma Wooten, the county's public health officer. "For any infected people, early diagnosis and prompt treatment can prevent the infectious form of the disease." Tuberculosis is transmitted from person to person through indoor air during prolonged contact with an infectious individual. Symptoms include persistent cough, fever, night sweats and unexplained weight loss. Most people who are exposed do not become infected with TB, which can be treated and cured with antibiotics. The number of TB cases in San Diego County has decreased since the early 1990s and has stabilized in recent years. There were 237 cases reported in 2017 and 226 in 2018. To date, 208 cases have been reported in 2019. For more information about the potential exposure at Las Colinas, call the San Diego County TB Control Program at 619-692-8621 or the Sheriff's Department Infection Control at 858-974-5971.