PHOENIX — Maricopa County health officials are working with nonprofit organizations that serve people without housing after identifying a cluster of tuberculosis cases.
A spokesperson for the Maricopa County Public Health Department is responding to a cluster of tuberculosis cases, but would not say where.
In an email, a spokesperson said the cluster was impacting the unhoused community and did not pose a risk to the Maricopa County community as a whole.
ABC15 contacted the Keys to Change Campus, the largest campus providing shelter and other services in the face of the outbreak, but it did not answer questions about the cluster of cases, saying only that it is coordinating with the county health department proactively and reactively.
“We appreciate MCDPH’s support in monitoring communicable diseases and regularly offering counseling, testing and vaccinations,” said Amy Schwabenlender, CEO of Keys to Change.
Here is the full statement from the Maricopa County Public Health Department:
The Maricopa County Public Health Department is responding to a cluster of tuberculosis (TB) cases. This cluster impacts the unhoused community and does not pose a risk to the Maricopa County community as a whole.
While TB was once a high-risk disease, TB testing is now readily available and treatments can cure it.
Like many other diseases, tuberculosis can begin with few or no symptoms. It is therefore important to treat it to reduce its spread and prevent potential complications. MCDPH regularly investigates all cases of active TB, identifies close contacts who may be at risk of infection, and connects patients for evaluation and treatment; For this cluster, MCDPH works closely with partners to bring these services directly to those most at risk. This includes:
- Educate individuals about tuberculosis, how it spreads, how it does not spread, and how to prevent its spread
- Offer several free screening events to those most at risk
- Connecting people who test positive with care so they can receive treatment
We hope that the combined efforts of individuals, partners, and MCDPH will prevent this cluster from spreading to more people.
For more information: TB fact sheet (maricopa.gov)
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