11 tuberculosis cases linked to Bay Area casinos, officials say – Health

Public health officials did sure That 11 cases of tuberculosis are tied to a casino in California.

The cases were reported among people who spent time at the California Grand Casino in Pacheco, 22 miles northeast of Oakland, between 2018 and 2023, Contra Costa Health wrote in an emailed statement to SFGATE on Friday.

Tuberculosis is an infectious disease caused by bacteria that can spread through the air between people in close contact, especially indoors. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The bacteria usually invade the lungs, causing an irritating and painful cough. Not everyone who is exposed to the bacteria gets sick.

Genetic testing showed that 10 cases were linked. An 11th case has yet to be tested, Contra Costa Health wrote.

To control the spread of tuberculosis in the United States, it is standard practice to genetically test any confirmed case of tuberculosis, Contra Costa County Deputy Health Officer Dr. Meera Srinivasan said in a message. press conference. “When those people cough up the bacteria, we’re able to isolate the bacteria in the lab and those bacteria have DNA, and through a process called whole-genome sequencing, we can match the DNA from different people to other people. TB DNA,” said Srinivasan.

The county said it has reached 300 people who may have contracted TB at the casino. Anyone who has visited the casino or worked there in the past five years and has not been contacted can call the county at 925-313-6740 to ask about TB testing, Press release Issued by County.

Srinivasan said it’s important even for those who don’t have symptoms to talk to their health care providers, because the bacteria can live inside a person for months or even years before they become sick and become contagious. When tuberculosis is inactive, the bacteria can still be detected and treated to prevent people from getting sick and contagious.

Despite the outbreak, Srinivasan said the risk of TB in the community “remains low.” He also noted that nothing about the way the casino was run put the community at risk. “It’s really a factor in how these bacteria spread,” he said. “It spreads through close contact between individuals.”

A person with TB is contagious and sick, and the most common symptoms include “a persistent or bloody cough, fever, unexpected weight loss, night sweats and fatigue,” the county said in the release.

“Our foremost commitment is to ensure the safety of our customers and employees,” California Grand Casino spokeswoman Becky Warren said in a statement to SFGATE. According to Contra Costa Health, none of the linked cases are currently contagious, nor do they involve our employees. Additionally, the Contra Costa Health Card did not identify any ongoing sources of infection in the room. We are actively cooperating with the county on notification and testing to maintain public health and safety.”

This breaking news story has been updated.