OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) – The Douglas County Health Department officially declared a public health emergency Monday, days after alerting the Omaha-metro to hundreds of potential tuberculosis exposures via a YMCA child care service.

Monday’s declaration notes that more than 550 people were identified as potentially exposed to TB at the Westview YMCA Childwatch, a short-term care service for children while their parents work out at the facility, between May and October. Last week, parents were notified by email about the potential exposure at DCHD officials hinted then that a public health emergency declaration was imminent.

DCHD said Thursday that one case of TB had been confirmed and that officials were working to determine whether any of the hundreds of other potential exposures had resulted in additional cases.

“Children are at high risk of negative outcomes related to TB if not prevented or identified and treated,” according to Monday’s declaration.

READ THE DECLARATION

HOW TO GET TESTED

The Douglas County Health Department will have clinics at the Westview YMCA on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday for children who may have been exposed between late May and Aug. 21.

DCHD said last week that testing for tuberculosis is only recommended “for those who had close contact on one or more occasions.”

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT TB

The health deaprtment stressed that tuberculosis is treatable, and that cases are “relatively rare.”

“Close contact with TB means spending extended time on one or more occasions with a contagious person who spreads the germs by coughing. This includes being in the same room with them but does not include brief exposures in areas such as cafeterias, hallways, restrooms, or gymnasiums,” DCHD’s news release states.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, TB vaccines are not widely used in the U.S., but are generally given to infants and small children in countries where tuberculosis is common.

DCHD is also familiar with how to treat TB, noting that the county had 15 confirmed cases in 2022 and 15 cases this year, through Sept. 30. The CDC has reported more than 8,000 cases in the U.S. this year.

Symptoms of TB include:

• A cough lasting multiple weeks
• Chest pain
• Coughing up blood or sputum
• Weakness and fatigue
• Weight loss
• No appetite
• Chills and fever
• Night sweats

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