Colorado
Tuberculosis cases rise in Colorado, making elimination goal less likely
In December 2016, the state health department published a plan to eliminate tuberculosis in Colorado within a decade. Seven years later, the disease is making a comeback, though it’s not clear if that’s a temporary aftershock of the pandemic or a longer-term problem.
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment reported 84 people were diagnosed with tuberculosis so far this year, which is higher than the pre-pandemic average of about 70 cases per year. Two people have died, which is on the lower end of what Colorado typically sees.
The increase was first reported by 9News.
The state defines elimination as fewer than one case of active disease for every million residents, state epidemiologist Dr. Rachel Herlihy said. This year, the health department has recorded about 20 cases for every million residents – a significant gulf in the world of infectious diseases.
“We do still have that goal of elimination,” she said. “We certainly do have some challenges ahead of us.”
Tuberculosis is the world’s top infectious disease killer, causing about 4,300 deaths per day worldwide. Most of those deaths happen in developing countries, where the disease is more common and treatment is harder to come by.
No one is sure why cases are rising now or whether this is a temporary or longer-term problem, Herlihy said. Most tuberculosis cases are in people who’ve been infected with the bacteria for some time, so it’s unlikely this represents a rebound of delayed infections, she said. Some other respiratory diseases did increase as COVID-19 controls loosened, creating short but intense periods as they spread through populations that hadn’t seen them for months or years.
One possibility is that people didn’t come in for health care during the pandemic, or that their doctors weren’t thinking about tuberculosis and didn’t order the right testing, said Dr. Larissa Pisney, medical director for infection prevention and control for UCHealth’s metro area hospitals. The people who came to UCHealth with active tuberculosis infections this year were sicker than usual, and in some cases, the disease had infiltrated their bones or other organs, she said.
The most common symptoms of tuberculosis are a persistent cough, night sweats and a low fever. Some people lose weight or cough up blood. Many people who are exposed to the bacteria that cause tuberculosis don’t develop symptoms and can’t spread the disease, because their bodies respond and force it into a latent form.
If the bacteria later awaken, though, they could get sick and become contagious. Those who have HIV, other conditions that suppress the immune system, or diabetes are more likely to become sick if exposed, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Before the pandemic, active tuberculosis cases were falling steadily, said Dr. Masae Kawamura, former tuberculosis controller for the city of San Francisco. When COVID-19 hit, however, public health departments had to redeploy their staff who had the most experience with an airborne virus – typically those working with tuberculosis, she said.
The bacteria that cause tuberculosis can linger in the air after a person coughs, but most people don’t need to worry about catching the disease. Typically, it spreads to people who live or work with someone who has an active infection.
“For most people in Colorado, this is still not a concern,” Pisney said.
The risk of having a latent tuberculosis infection is higher for people who spent significant time in a region of the world where it’s more common, such as Eastern Europe, much of Asia, Africa and parts of South America. People who worked or lived in tight quarters, such as jails and homeless shelters, also are at increased risk.
Drug treatments are available, but patients who have symptoms have to take them consistently for at least six months. The course is often shorter for people with latent infections.
The United States does have some advantages in beating back tuberculosis again, Kawamura said: new blood tests make screening significantly more convenient than it was with the old skin test, and the drug regimen is shorter than it used to be. Unfortunately, in the countries with the highest rates of tuberculosis, people with symptoms often go untreated, allowing the bacteria to leap borders as visitors return home, she said.
“TB anywhere is TB everywhere,” she said.
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As car thefts in Colorado continue to be an issue, the Colorado State Patrol is expanding its program which was created to curb those thefts. Troopers tell CBS Colorado that car thefts are down 20% but they want to see it non-existent so they are providing a free steering wheel lock for anyone who needs one.
Your First Alert Traffic Tracker Reporter Brian Sherrod met with Colorado Auto Theft Prevention Authority Public Outreach Coordinator Cale Gould to discuss the importance of this program. Gould tells CBS Colorado a steering wheel lock is a great device to help increase physical vehicle security. Drivers can get a wheel lock by providing the VIN of the vehicle for which they want the added protection. There is a limit of one wheel lock per person.
Gould tells CBS Colorado reducing auto theft in Colorado has a ripple effect in communities. When auto theft is reduced, other crime types and incidents also show reductions.
A quality theft prevention routine considers many possible factors to help deter and prevent vehicle theft. This should always include locking your car every time; no matter where or how long you will be away from it. Locked vehicles are the most secure when all keys are removed from them. Gould says to always take extra, spare, or valet keys out of a vehicle.
Then, once fully locked and secured, make sure your car is clean. Gould says thieves hate clean cars. What may seem like trash or unimportant items, like change, gym bags, or shopping bags from stores, may not catch your interest, but small things left visible in a vehicle can get a thief to target your vehicle over a vehicle without anything left in it. Take all items out of your vehicle and place any necessary items out of sight in the glove box or trunk.
“We always say clean out your car and don’t leave things in there, Gould said. “People don’t realize the things they leave. If you were looking at two identical cars and a thief was going to steal one of them and one of them is full of stuff, it doesn’t make people want to break into the clean car. Thieves hate clean cars.”
Primary distribution happens out of the Colorado State Patrol Records Department located at 700 Kipling Street in Lakewood. Locks can be picked up Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. excluding holidays. There is a limit of one lock per person.
Other locations include:
- Alamosa – Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. 3110 First Street, Alamosa, CO 8110
- Castle Rock – Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. Troop 1B 4600 Castleton Court, Castle Rock, CO 80109. Out of stock till 7/07
- Colorado Springs – Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. Bring a VIN for registration. Troop 2B, 1480 Quail Lake Loop Colorado Springs, CO 80906 (719) 635-0385
- Craig – Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. 800 W. 1st Street #400 Craig, CO 81625
- Durango – Tuesdays and Thursdays, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. and at special events. Troop 5A, 20591 Hwy 160 Durango, CO 81301
- Florence – Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. 600 W. 3rd Street Suite C Florence, CO 81226 – 719-784-3275
- Ft. Collins Pick Up – Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Bring a VIN for registration. Troop 3C, 3832 S. Interstate 25 Fort Collins, CO 80525 (Just North of Harmony Rd Exit headed North on I-25)
- Golden – Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. Troop 1A/E, 1096 McIntyre St, Golden, CO 80401
- Pueblo – Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. Troop 2D, 5615 Wills Blvd, Pueblo, CO 81008. Out of stock until 6/28
Check the nearest location for distribution information and hours.
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – Colorado Springs city officials will be hosting a quarterly Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) forum at 1 p.m. today.
There, they’ll be discussing upcoming projects for the rest of the year and updating the community on the rollout of the TrackChair Program. The program aims to provide more access to Colorado’s parks and open spaces for those with mobility challenges through utilizing all-terrain mobility devices.
Officials will also discuss how the city’s ADA efforts will support the mayor’s strategic plan.
You can join the meeting via Microsoft Teams video call or phone call. To join the video meeting on Microsoft Teams, click here. The passcode to join the meeting is afW4Jw. To join by phone, dial 720-617-3426. The conference ID number is 731336356#.
KRDO NewsChannel 13 is committed to providing a forum for civil and constructive conversation.
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Two different forwards that were on the Colorado Buffaloes men’s basketball roster last season have been selected by pro teams in the 2024 NBA Draft.
The Utah Jazz drafted forward Cody Williams with the 10th pick. Williams only played for CU as a freshman and missed 13 games during the season due to injuries. His brother is Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams.
Williams played in the Buffs appearance in the NCAA Tournament but he says he wasn’t 100% healthy.
As a freshman when he was on the court he showed quick movement and fancy footwork. He also showed he is a good 3-point shooter.
The Orlando Magic drafted forward Tristan da Silva with the 18th pick. CBS Sports describes him as a “plug and play” option, “because he’s capable of playing minutes off the bench right now as someone who can space the floor, be a reliable decision-maker, and trustworthy on both ends of the floor.” Da Silva was one of the stars for the Buffs last season.
CU Boulder guard KJ Simpson still remains on the board as the draft heads to round two on Thursday. CBS Sports says that although he is a smaller guard, “teams that passed on him could be making a big mistake.” Simpson improved his efficiency throughout his college career and has extreme confidence and competitiveness.
The second round of the 2024 NBA Draft kicks off tomorrow at 2 p.m. MST on Thursday.
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