The public health department has identified a further case of tuberculosis in the vicinity of a day-care center in Dresden. Three people have been identified so far, the city announced. They are now in quarantine and are receiving medical care.
After one person and a close contact person were each diagnosed with an infectious tuberculosis disease, the health department carried out a so-called environmental investigation of around 160 people in the vicinity of the daycare center last week. A single-digit number of relevant contact persons outside the facility have not yet been tested because they are not currently in Dresden.
After eight to twelve weeks, a further test is also required for people who have tested negative in order to rule out infection and disease with certainty.
2024 more cases in Saxony
Tuberculosis is now very rare in Germany. According to the State Investigation Office, there were 161 cases in Saxony last year - an increase of eleven percent compared to 2023. According to the city of Dresden, infections were detected in 34 people last year, compared to 18 in 2023.
The infectious disease is caused by bacteria and mainly affects the lungs. It is transmitted when infected people excrete pathogens when coughing and sneezing. According to the World Health Organization, around half of those infected die without treatment. With four to six months of treatment, around 85 percent of people can be cured.
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