Chemnitz (dpa / sn) – After the outbreak of tuberculosis around a nursing school in Chemnitz, two other suspected cases were confirmed. So far, there are no findings in these two cases that speak for contagion, as the city announced on Friday. So far, a total of four cases of pulmonary tuberculosis in Chemnitz have been confirmed. As with the first two patients suffering from tuberculosis, this time it is also about two nursing students.
The two have been hospitalized since the end of January. The number of contact persons identified is currently around 170, of whom around 150 live in Chemnitz. The number of infections found there is 28, 21 of which are attributable to nursing students, according to a city spokeswoman. The Office for Health and Prevention is still in contact with the nursing school and the affected nursing homes. The health authorities of other municipalities were also informed – where necessary. The city pointed out at the beginning of February that not every infection leads to illness.
The disease is caused by bacteria and is notifiable. The pathogens are mainly excreted through coughing and sneezing and spread through aerosols in the air. According to experts, tuberculosis is not highly contagious. Whether an infection occurs depends, among other things, on how long and intensive the contact with the sick person was and how susceptible the person is to infection, according to the Federal Center for Health Education.
