possible TB outbreak

[Dave]

NewsCenter 5 reported that a surgical intern who's worked at four local hospitals has the disease and hundreds of people may have been exposed.


"We are here today because the Boston Public Health Commission has diagnosed a case of active tuberculosis in a health care worker who worked at four hospitals," said Dr. John Rich, of The Boston Public Health Commission.


The female intern, who is now on leave and undergoing treatment, worked at four Massachusetts hospitals including West Roxbury Veterans Affairs Hospital, Cape Cod Hospital, Boston Medical Center and Brockton Hospital. Those hospitals are in the process of assessing who should be tested at those facilities.


"We would estimate that approximately 1,600 people might have had contact with the infected health care worker. That is a large number and most of those individuals will not have any infection related to this at all," said Rich.

link

i used to work at one of those hospitals. from what i've read on this so far, it seems the intern started after i left. (even though i am in contact with patients and staff from two of the other hospitals, i know my chances of exposure/infection are slim to none.)
apparently, the exposures date back to the beginning of the year. this is an accidental exposure that could affect 1600+ people. i shudder to think what would happen if there is an intentional exposure.

 

[A.B.Normal]

that could affect 1600+ people.

More if she was one of the many passing around joints in Boston.

 

[catocom]

I heard about a week ago that it was in southern CA, probably being carried
in from Mexico.
Hmm, I wonder what the next terrorist attack is going to be,
that they say "is going to dwarf 9/11"???

 

[Uki Chick]

Hmm, I wonder what the next terrorist attack is going to be, that they say "is going to dwarf 9/11"???

Why even think of something like that. Let's hope there won't be any other attack.

 

[HomeLAN]

TB always hovers close to epidemic proportions in some poorer areas of south Atlanta. I'm betting you'll find the same in certain quarters of any large city.

Every once in awhile, the local news will do a "hard-hitting story" on it, and then we'll all forget about it again for the next 4-5 years.

 

[Professur]

Tell me again why I'm driving 1200 miles?

 

[HomeLAN]

'Cause you're coming to NORTH Atlanta.

 

[HomeLAN]

Oh, BTW...

You ain't safe up there, either.

 

[Professur]

Loverly.

You keep referring to huge differences between the populations about Atlanta, but Atlanta's not that much bigger than Montreal, and we simply don't have those 'districts' like you do.

 

[HomeLAN]

We don't have "districts" so much as north and south. Northside is suburbia, plain and simple. Southside, until you get farther out - like Peachtree City - tends to be lower rent, higher crime.

Obviously, it's not an absolute, but that's been the trend since before I moved here, and I've been here 27 years.

 

[greenfreak]

Spot, when I was in EMS, we had to get tested for everything every few months, and tested again if we may have come into contact with an pathogens. Or got stuck. There's no program like that for hospital workers? They're the ones who need it the most!

 

[catocom]

We don't have "districts" so much as north and south. Northside is suburbia, plain and simple. Southside, until you get farther out - like Peachtree City - tends to be lower rent, higher crime.

Obviously, it's not an absolute, but that's been the trend since before I moved here, and I've been here 27 years.

yep, I have NO problem with N. Atl., but from Ga Tech south, I bring my knife.

 

[HomeLAN]

These days, with the yuppification of midtown, the dividing line truly seems to be I-20.

 

[Professur]

Oh, big anti-tourist question. I have to repaint the trailer roof. Instead of trying to match the colour, I was tossing around the idea of painting a big Maple leaf on it. That won't draw unwanted attention, will it?

 

[HomeLAN]

Depends on where you are, and if you flaunt it. Probably not.

'Round here, Canadians are viewed like earth in THHGTTG. "Mostly Harmless".

 

[greenfreak]

Although I've heard a comment here and there about the amount of Canadians (and New Yorkers) that winter in Florida, the worst I've heard about Canadians is here on the forum. We just don't hate you as much as you hate us.

 

[Professur]

I don't hate americans any more than I hate anyone who aspires to the title Homo Sapient.

 

[greenfreak]

But you're also a transplant.

 

[unclehobart]

Your car tag will give you away as Canadian anyway. Go ahead and paint a Moosehead logo and bury it in Loverboy bumper stickers for all we care.

 

[chcr]

Depends on where you are, and if you flaunt it. Probably not.

'Round here, Canadians are viewed like earth in THHGTTG. "Mostly Harmless".

Unless they try to pawn off that fake change that don't work in the Co-cola machine.