5 babies test positive for TB infection, city health department says

The El Paso health department confirmed Saturday five babies have tested positive for tuberculosis infection.

Now the city’s department of health says 96 more children may have been exposed to TB, bringing the total to more than 850 but they say even that number could grow.

“Today we are announcing that five infants have tested positive for TB infection,” said Robert Resendes, director of The El Paso City Health department.

Four of those infants were vaccinated with BCG, a vaccination used to prevent tuberculosis often used in other countries, Resendes said.

Resendes says there’s a possibility their tests are false positives but the children will still be offered treatment.

Enrique Martinez, Chief Medical Officer for Sierra Providence stresses the infants have tested positive for TB infection and not TB disease.

“These individuals do not have active tuberculosis. They are not sick, they are not contagious,” said Martinez.

The city health department was prepared last week to screen 40 employees and 706 patients after a Providence Memorial employee working in the nursery tested positive for tuberculosis.

Then they announced 45 more babies who were potentially exposed.

Now, health officials say the number of children who were possibly exposed has increased again.

“We have identified an additional 96 babies who were potentially exposed and letters are going out to those families Monday morning and that will bring our grand total around 858,” said Resendes.

City health officials say that so far more than 200 TB screenings have been completed and there are currently no confirmed cases of TB.

On Sunday a team from the Center for Disease Control and prevention along with members of the Department of State Health Services will arrive to assist in the investigation.

On Saturday Resendes offered some advice to parents.

“The thing we saw the most with the families coming in…is (they are) concerned for other family members. We’ve said this over and over again and we can say it more these babies have been exposed (but) are not infectious. They cannot spread that disease to anyone else, not to siblings not to moms,” said Resendes.

Several city representatives and Mayor Oscar Leeser also attended Saturday’s news conference. Leeser urged everyone who got a letter to get screened saying the screenings are essential to community safety.
The health department will also set up a hotline Sunday to answer questions from people who recieved a notification letter. To reach the hotline call 211 or 915-771-1228.
The lines will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.