Disease

Tuberculosis Outbreak In Las Vegas, USA

Las Vegas public health officials reports that 59 people have tested positive for tuberculosis after being exposed to it at a Nevada hospital neonatal intensive care unit.

A report released last month indicated that Summerlin Hospital Medical Center was not able to take precautions and failed to diagnose an infected woman’s lung disease. Vanessa White gave birth to premature twin daughters at the hospital last May. The hospital allowed the woman to visit her babies even after she was discharged.

One of the babies died last June. White herself died last July at a Los Angeles Hospital. An autopsy of her body revealed that she had tuberculosis. The other twin died last August 1 at the Summerlin Hospital due to tuberculosis.

When the hospital learned about the infection hundreds of letters were sent out to patients last August. After hospital employees tested positive for tuberculosis health officials called out the patients to have an immediate testing. They fear that around 140 infants may have been exposed between the months of May to August.