Chicago: Sanctuary city records tuberculosis outbreak in immigrant shelters

The Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) reported an outbreak of tuberculosis (TB) in several immigrant shelters throughout the city, without specifying the specific number of cases diagnosed or the name or location of the shelters.

"CDPH is aware of a small number of cases of TB among new arrivals in a few different shelters over the course of the response," the agency said in statements picked up by Fox News. At the same time, CDPH noted that between 10% and 20% of the population in Central and South America, where the vast majority of the migrants come from, have latent TB infection, although they have no symptoms and it is not infectious.

This revelation comes after officials in Chicago, one of the country's main sanctuary cities, identified more than 50 cases of measles, an infectious disease that can aggravate the health of those suffering from tuberculosis, in migrant shelters.

Democratic Party charges against Mayor Johnson

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson's immigration management is being criticized from both sides of the political spectrum, especially now with the recent cases of measles and tuberculosis diagnosed in immigrant shelters. Raymond Lopez, a Democratic alderman, slammed the Chicago mayor for ignoring warnings about the emergence of these diseases and infections in the city.

"I have warned Chicago for months about what was already here. Performative politics & hurt feelings kept City Hall from avoiding the obvious looming disaster. Anyone who demanded action to protect our residents was called racist, xenophobic, and anti-immigrant by fringe politicians. And now here we are: measles, now tuberculosis both 'confirmed' in Chicago. Shame on every mouthpiece that worked so hard to keep this secret," Lopez wrote on social media.

"I don’t expect apologies or an enlightened response from the performative deniers: those folks have never let facts get in the way of their narrative. However, everyday Chicagoans MUST demand Brandon Johnson and his cronies take this seriously, demand American immunization standards for all asylum seekers & their children within public schools, and stop muting the truth," added the alderman.

Tuberculosis

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) details that Mycobacterium tuberculosis causes tuberculosis, a bacterium that usually directly affects the lungs, although in some cases it also attacks the kidneys, brain and spine. It is only transmitted through the air.

At present, there is a specific vaccine to prevent tuberculosis: bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG). It is not commonly administered in the United States, except in specific cases such as children at risk of contracting tuberculosis or medical personnel.

The most common symptoms of tuberculosis are a severe and sometimes bloody cough for several weeks and chest pain. Other indicators can include fever, fatigue, weight loss, loss of appetite, night sweats and chills. In 2022, 8,331 cases were diagnosed in the United States.