The Algarve Regional Health Administration (ARS) guaranteed that there is no outbreak of Tuberculosis in the Hospital de Portimão or threat to the population.
The entity responsible for managing the health sector in the region reacted to complaints made by the Union of Portuguese Nurses (SEP) of tuberculosis cases among employees of the CHA, which were publicized by the media.
Despite having reported cases of employees of this health unit who were infected in the workplace, the SEP made it clear this week, who does not consider that there is an outbreak of the disease.
The union members' guarantee was given in a press release, in which they denounced the detection of four new cases of latent tuberculosis in two nurses and two operational assistants at the Hospital de Portimão.
According to the ARS, the key word in this issue is the fact that the disease is latent, that is, in a phase where “it does not pose a threat to Public Health”.
«There is only one confirmed and declared case in SINAVE (National Epidemiological Surveillance System) of Pulmonary Tuberculosis, diagnosed in May 2015, already undergoing treatment. There is a second case, not yet confirmed analytically, but also in preventive treatment», he guaranteed.
“The remaining alleged cases, disclosed by some media bodies, are Latent Tuberculosis. Despite undergoing prophylactic treatment, they are not sick, nor are they, therefore, counted in terms of incidence, so the dimension of the problem does not pose a threat to Public Health. It should be noted that, when screening for tuberculosis, in "healthy" populations, there are on average 12,5% of cases of latent infection," according to the ARS.
The same entity assured that, in view of this situation, the Department of Public Health and Planning of ARS Algarve and the Public Health Unit of ACES Barlavento are working as a team and in articulation with Centro Hospitalar do Algarve, «having already made available, exceptionally, in order to reassure professionals and the community in general, all the necessary collaboration to carry out a screening in the Hospital Unit of Portimão, through the mobile radiological screening unit and carrying out an Epidemiological Survey».
Comments