A year-long tuberculosis outbreak in eastern Kansas has raised concerns about local and national spread. However, health officials say the risk to the public is low for attendees of Sunday’s AFC championship game at Arrowhead Stadium.
According to Ginny Boos, director of infection prevention at Saint Luke’s Health System, most people should worry about respiratory viruses that peak during this time of year, not tuberculosis. Active TB illness can take weeks to develop and is not sudden like the flu or COVID-19.
While it’s unlikely for attendees to contract TB from being at the game, there is a higher risk if they sat next to someone who was coughing with a respiratory virus. People with underlying health issues have a higher risk of contracting tuberculosis.
The outbreak in eastern Kansas has resulted in 67 people being treated for active TB and 79 latent cases. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) clarified that the Kansas outbreak is not the largest in modern history, but rather part of a larger trend of increasing TB cases since the COVID-19 pandemic.
TB symptoms can be mistaken for respiratory viruses, which spread through droplets when coughing or sneezing. However, TB takes longer to develop and typically requires prolonged exposure to an enclosed space.
Despite the concerns, health officials emphasize that most people can attend the game without worrying about contracting TB. The risk is low, and attendees should focus on taking precautions against respiratory viruses, such as flu season, which peaks in February.
Source: https://eu.usatoday.com/story/life/health-wellness/2025/01/29/kansas-city-tuberculosis-respiratory-illness-spread/78023234007