Updated at 12:52 p.m., Thursday, March 22, 2007
Hawai'i TB cases up slightly in 2006, CDC reports
Advertiser Staff
The number of Hawai'i tuberculosis cases increased slightly in 2006 as the rate of cases per 100,000 people remained the third-highest in the nation, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.There were 115 cases last year versus the 112 in 2005, the agency said.
That translated into 8.9 cases per 100,000 population, well above the national average of 4.6. Only Alaska and Washington, D.C., had higher rates.
The CDC noted TB rates declined for all ethnic minorities except Native Hawaiians, other Pacific Islanders and American Indians/Alaska Natives. The report said TB rates have been decreasing steadily since a resurgence between 1985 and 1992.
