Dozens of people are being told to get screened following an outbreak of tuberculosis (TB) in a Welsh village where one person has died.
Public Health Wales confirmed that there have been 29 cases of TB in the Llwynhendy area of Llanelli, Carmarthenshire since 2010.
A spokeswoman for the NHS trust said one death in 2018 has been linked to the outbreak.
Around 80 people in the area - who have been identified as "contacts" of confirmed TB cases - have now been sent a letter to attend a TB community screening exercise in June.
An additional call is being issued to people who may have been exposed to TB as a customer or employee of the Joiners Arms pub in Llwynhendy between 2005 and 2018.
What is TB?
Tuberculosis is a bacterial infection spread through inhaling tiny droplets from the coughs or sneezes of an infected person.
The condition is usually found in the lungs but it can affect other parts of the body.
The most common symptom of TB is a persistent cough for more than three weeks, with spit which can sometimes be blood-stained.
Other symptoms can include:
- weight loss
- a high temperature
- sweating, particularly at night.
Public Health Wales and Hywel Dda University Health Board said it has been monitoring and investigating the outbreak "for some time".
They claim there is evidence to suggest a number of as yet unidentified "active and latent TB cases" in the Llwynhendy population are associated with the outbreak.
Dr Brendan Mason, consultant in communicable disease control for Public Health Wales, said: “TB has been circulating at a low level in Llwynhendy for some time and our aim is to ensure that all affected individuals proceed to treatment as soon as possible so that we can halt any further spread of the disease and bring the outbreak under control.”
A woman, who did not want to be named, said she had a family member with TB in the Llanelli area, and claimed the screening programme was long overdue.
"This should have been set up quite a few years ago when the infection first erupted," she said.
"I'm not saying it could have been eradicated, but it could have controlled the situation there and then."
Public Health Wales said it is notified of around 100 cases of tuberculosis each year.
A spokeswoman said Wales continues to have the lowest rate of TB per 100,000 population compared to the other regions of the UK.
Dr Mason said: “We are carrying out the screening exercise at this time to coincide with a shift in global, European and UK strategies on TB, which are now very much focused on achieving the World Health Organisation target of eradicating the disease by 2035.
“After closely monitoring and investigating the Llwynhendy outbreak for a number of years, the evidence suggests that carrying out a community screening exercise at this time is the best course of action in order to bring this outbreak under control and, ideally, eradicate the disease from the Llwynhendy area.”
Screening will be carried out at the following times and locations:
- Tuesday, June 4, 8am to 10am
Parc y Scarlets, Maes-Ar-Ddafen Road, Llanelli SA14 9UZ
- Tuesday, June 4, 11am to 2.30pm
Joiners Arms, 58 Llwynhendy Road, Llanelli SA14 9HR
- Tuesday, June 4 , 4.30pm to 8pm
Llwynhendy Health Centre, Llywnhendy Road, Llanelli SA14 9BN
- Wednesday June 5, 8am to 10am
Parc y Scarlets, Maes-Ar-Ddafen Road, Llanelli SA14 9UZ
- Wednesday, June 5, 11am to 3pm
Llwynhendy Health Centre, Llywnhendy Road, Llanelli SA14 9BN
Public Health Wales said anyone in the Llwynhendy area who is unsure whether they need to be tested for TB should attend a screening session as staff will be on hand to discuss eligibility.
Individuals can also get more information on the screening exercise by calling 02920 827 627.
