Three unrelated cases of tuberculosis have occurred in community centres
Cases of tuberculosis have occurred in three community centres in Chemnitz, although they have no connection in terms of content.
One case concerns an employee in a social therapy centre. As this is a case with over 100 contact persons, the health department is currently working on examining all of these people in a timely manner and, if necessary, sending them for treatment. The timing of the tests depends on how close the contact with the infected person was and when it took place. Information events have already been organised at the facility for both staff and residents.
The other two cases concern the Chemnitz initial reception centre run by the Free State of Saxony: One of the cases involves a woman who was accommodated in the initial reception centre and developed symptoms there. All seven family members are already receiving treatment or close care from the public health department. There were no other contact persons. A further case was handed over to the responsible health authority in a neighbouring district, as all nine people affected have been transferred there.
Keyword tuberculosis
According to the Infection Protection Act, tuberculosis - a bacterial infectious disease - is a notifiable disease. If an illness or death from tuberculosis requiring treatment is detected in Germany, a report is made to the responsible health authority. The health authority investigates the case and assesses the extent to which there was a risk of infection for other people. Subsequently, contact persons are identified and contacted by the employees of the public health department and, if necessary, tested for tuberculosis. If the blood test is positive, further tests are ordered.
Tuberculosis is one of the most common infectious diseases in the world. According to estimates by the World Health Organisation, around ten million people contract tuberculosis every year. Germany is one of the countries with a low incidence rate. An infection only leads to illness in around ten per cent of cases over the course of a lifetime. An infection is not yet contagious; infection is only possible with the onset of tuberculosis. An infection usually requires several hours of spending time together in closed rooms. Tuberculosis can only be confirmed or ruled out eight to twelve weeks after contact.