Posted on 06/01/2007 9:24:19 AM PDT by greyfoxx39
The New Mexico Department of Health is prepared to keep New Mexicans safe if any individual in the state is affected by the U.S. resident who was diagnosed with extensively multi-drug resistant tuberculosis after traveling between Europe and the United States.
Earlier this year, the Department of Health used its authority under the Public Health Act to quarantine an individual with multi-drug resistance tuberculosis who may pose a significant health risk to the public. The Department committed the patient to a secure treatment facility because the patient was actively infectious with a threatening communicable disease and had a history of missing treatment.
"If a situation similar to that in Georgia were to occur in New Mexico, we have experience in using our State law to quarantine an individual who would represent a risk to the public’s health,” said Dr. Steve Jenison, medical director of the Department’s Infectious Disease Bureau. “New Mexico has a low incidence of tuberculosis, and we are well prepared to handle any cases.”
-SNIP-
The Department of Health is currently managing 50 cases of active tuberculosis infection. Of those 50, 28 cases were identified as new cases in 2007. Of the 50 active tuberculosis cases currently under management, there are two confirmed cases and one probable case of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis.
(Excerpt) Read more at abqjournal.com ...
NM Ping
Great for NM- now can it fix its horrible education system, government fraud wrought by the “Patron system”, and stimulate real economic growth.
Any info on the country of origin of these infected individuals?
Not in THIS article. Gee, I wonder why? /sarc
I do find it alarming that it is just June and we have had 28 NEW cases. Sure glad the state is taking care of us.
TB comming across the border?
Say it aint so!
That's good. But since it can take up to 4 months to determine the exact strain of TB, what happens in between diagnosing TB & determining the particular strain of TB? That's what has me shaking my head.
Yeah, that's my concern too...is this infected person cooking my burger at McDonald's or serving on the line in the elementary school cafeteria?
It may be that a skin test is required to START these jobs (and I don't even know that), but what about the ones exposed after the original skin test?
If you would like on or off the NM ping list, please FReepmail me. Also, if you haven’t selected NM as your locale, you might wish to do so. We often have posts and discussions there of local interest.
Foxxy
I am not so worried about the Department of Health and their ability to quarantine one or two at a time. My concern is the State’s ability to quarantine an entire town, supply it and provide medical support. We have to look no furtherer back than 29 December 2006 where the State’s Emergency Operational Center was totally dysfunctional during one of the largest snowstorm in our state’s history.
I was in Phoenix in December, but I remember reading about it via the Journal online. Sure gives you confidence in King Bill and his minions, doesn’t it?
Not
LOL...took me a minute to decipher that post.
I’m sure congress has addressed the required testing for all sorts of potential plagues legals and illegals may have, in their useless immigration bill, huh-hah!
I’m not exactly buying the State Health Department’s story about being prepared. There isn’t much any state gov’t organization gets right when it all comes down to it. Also, I recently had a conversation about TB with friend who is a nurse. She told me that there a significant numbers of people with TB crossing the border precisely because they know they will be treated in the US.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.