Tuberculosis outbreakxa0declaredxa0public health emergency in Long Beach, butxa0overallxa0risk remains low, officials say

An outbreak of tuberculosis has caused a public health emergency in Long Beach, California. City Health Officer Dr. Anissa Davis declared a public health emergency on Thursday in response to the outbreak. The declaration will be considered for ratification by the Long Beach City Council on Tuesday. The city health department has identified approximately 170 people who may have been exposed to tuberculosis. The risk of TB for people in Long Beach is said to be very low. The outbreak is linked to a single room occupancy hotel, with 14 confirmed cases and one death. The city is taking measures to contact those who may have been exposed and is screening for TB symptoms. The outbreak is currently isolated to a specific population with significant barriers to care. Tuberculosis cases in the US have been on the rise, returning to pre-pandemic levels.