San Diego City Wire

The County’s Tuberculosis Program is working in close collaboration with Father Joe’s Villages to notify residents, employees, contractors, and volunteers potentially exposed to tuberculosis (TB) at the Father Joe’s Joan Kroc Center (JKC). The dates of potential exposure are from Oct. 13, 2023, to March 13, 2024. This notification is not associated with a separate TB exposure that occurred in November 2023 at a different shelter operated by Father Joe’s Villages.

"Symptoms of active TB include persistent cough, fever, night sweats and unexplained weight loss," said Wilma Wooten, M.D., County public health officer.

TB is an airborne disease that is transmitted from person-to-person through inhalation of the bacteria from the air. The bacteria are spread when someone sick with TB coughs, speaks, sings, or breathes. People with frequent and prolonged indoor exposure to a person who is sick with TB should get tested.

People experiencing homelessness are at increased risk for TB for a variety of reasons, including challenges regarding access to healthcare and certain medical conditions that may be more common and severe among this population.

Effective treatments are available to cure people who are sick from active TB. It is especially important for people with symptoms of active TB and those who are immune compromised to see a medical provider to discuss treatment.

The number of people diagnosed with active TB in San Diego County had decreased since the early 1990s but has seen a slight uptick since 2021. In 2023, a total of 243 people were reported with active TB disease in San Diego County. An estimated 175,000 people in San Diego County have latent TB infection.

People who would like more information on this potential exposure should call the County Tuberculosis Control Program at (619) 692-8621. It is crucial for individuals who may have been exposed to TB to seek appropriate testing and medical advice to ensure timely intervention and treatment.