Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment celebrates World Tuberculosis Day

GREELEY, CO – NOVEMBER 18: Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment, 1555 North 17th Street, as the sun sets on November 18, 2021 in Greeley. (Alex McIntyre/Staff Photographer)

World Tuberculosis Day is Sunday, and the Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment reaffirms its commitment to protecting Weld residents through assessment, diagnosis and treatment services for patients with active tuberculosis.

The Weld Health Department said in a news release that Colorado's tuberculosis rates are on the rise, with cases expected to increase by nearly 60% in 2023 from 2022. The ministry also said that before the COVID-19 pandemic, the average number of active TB cases in Weld was about three per year. . In 2023, there were seven active cases in the county.

“Although overall case numbers are low, the increase in active cases makes tuberculosis a priority for the Department of Health,” Director Jason Cheshire said in a news release. “Diagnosing, monitoring and treating people with TB infection can prevent them from getting sick and spreading TB to others.”

World Tuberculosis Day is a sobering reminder of the global fight against tuberculosis and the urgent need for collective action to eradicate this preventable and treatable disease.

The World Health Organization has announced that 1.3 million people will die from tuberculosis worldwide in 2022. According to the WHO, the disease is the second-leading cause of death after COVID-19.

For more information about the Weld County Tuberculosis Program and its efforts, go online to weld.gov/Government/Departments/Health-and-Environment/Public-Health-Services/Tuberculosis-Program.

County public health nurses made more than 300 home visits last year to provide direct observation therapy to patients in isolation with active tuberculosis. The purpose of the visit was to ensure that the medication was taken correctly and was effective.

The county said in a statement that the health department is also working with health care providers, community organizations and hospital systems to conduct appropriate testing and promptly refer any suspected symptoms to the county.