The Nunavut Health Department screened close to 900 people for tuberculosis in Naujaat during a community-wide prevention effort that ended June 19. The prevention clinic was launched April 15 and was a joint effort by the Department of Health and Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. There has been an ongoing tuberculosis outbreak in the community of approximately 1,230 people since May 2023.
There are also ongoing outbreaks in Pangnirtung and Pond Inlet. The Department of Health and NTI issued a joint news release Thursday to update the public on the results of the clinic. The goal was to screen 1,000 people in the hamlet, according to the release.
In six weeks of work, clinic workers screened 892 individuals, meeting nearly 90 per cent of the clinic’s goal, and detected 31 latent TB cases. The release did not indicate exactly how many active cases were found, only describing the number as “a few.” Active cases of tuberculosis are symptomatic and can be highly contagious, while latent cases do not carry symptoms and are not contagious.
Latent cases of TB have the potential to become active cases if left untreated. Tuberculosis is an airborne bacterial disease that most commonly affects the lungs. It can be spread through the air by coughing or sneezing.
The disease is easily treatable but can become deadly without intervention. During the screening, people were asked to fill out a questionnaire, then would go through a tuberculosis test and a chest X-ray. Follow-up testing could include a blood test or providing sputum, or phlegm, samples.
Similar screening clinics have occurred in the past five years in Pangnirtung, Whale Cove, Qikiqtarjuaq and Kinngait..
