World TB Day and Preventing New Cases in Healthcare Facilities and Correctional Institutions in Puerto Rico

World TB Day is recognized in Puerto Rico and across the globe on March 24th. The date of this annual event was chosen to coincide with the date that Dr. Robert Koch announced his discovery of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the cause of tuberculosis (TB), back in 1882.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) describes World TB Day as a time to educate the public about the impact of TB around the world. It is also a day for health professionals to share successes in prevention and control, while also raising awareness of the challenges that hinder progress towards the elimination of this devastating disease.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis can be spread from a person with TB disease of the lungs or throat through the air from one person to another if they cough, sneeze, speak or sing. This occurs when people nearby breathe in the bacteria and then become infected. This is why the transmission of tuberculosis can be a significant risk factor in healthcare environments, correctional institutions, and other places where many people are in close proximity for an extended period of time.

“Efforts to fight TB in Puerto Rico have been quite effective in recent years,” said Harry Pena, President of Zimmetry Environmental. “In 2020, the incidence rate in Puerto Rico was 0.8 per 100,000 people. This compares to 3.8 in the U.S. Virgin Islands and 6.5 in Hawaii. Of all the cases reported in 2020, Florida was responsible for almost 6%. Even with the relatively low numbers in Puerto Rico, TB can still be deadly and costly to treat, especially with the emergence of new cases of multidrug-resistant TB (MDR TB).”

To help prevent new TB cases, Zimmetry Environmental offers infection control consulting and air testing services. Zimmetry’s building science professionals can help to mitigate exposure concerns with their expertise in mechanical ventilation, engineering controls and other methods to protect building occupants in Puerto Rico and throughout the Caribbean. Several years back, Zimmetry even sponsored an educational video about World TB Day that can still be seen at: https://youtu.be/CkmUIG-IyHQ

To learn more about Zimmetry’s infection control, environmental, occupational, and compliance testing and consulting services, please visit www.zimmetry.com, call (787) 995.0005 or email info@zimmetry.com.
 

About Zimmetry Environmental

Since 2002, Zimmetry Environmental has been providing environmental consulting services to building owners and managers, architects, engineers, EHS professionals and Fortune 500 companies. The company is based in Puerto Rico and provides services across the Caribbean and Central America. The professionals at Zimmetry offer environmental compliance, indoor air quality, asbestos, lead-based paint, Phase I ESAs and general environmental consulting services.