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A concessions worker at southern Utah's Zion National Park has been confirmed as being infected with tuberculosis.

Park spokesman David Eaker said Thursday that the worker was diagnosed with the contagious, airborne disease on March 13, and a "small number" of other personnel in contact with the infected worker had been identified for testing.

In addition to the National Park Service's Office of Public Health, the case is being investigated by the Southwest Utah Public Health Department.

Dr. David Wong, chief of the Epidemiology Branch of the Office of Public Health for the NPS, assured visitors to the iconic scenic park they were safe.

"The risk of TB transmission from this employee to visitors is extremely low," he stated. "SWUPHD and NPS believe there is no risk to the public and encourage visits as usual to Zion National Park."

The infected employee worked in a position that required no contact with visitors, and was assigned to duties inside a building accessible only to other employees, Eaker said.

The employee is currently being treated for tuberculosis at an unspecified medical facility.

The Southwest Utah Public Health Department investigates one or two tuberculosis cases per year, said department spokesman David Heaton. Transmission generally requires prolonged exposure to a person with active symptoms, he said.

"It's not the type of thing you would typically get in a restaurant or a bus or a plane," he said.

Twitter: @remims CDC: Nationwide, TB control working •

The Centers for Disease Control on Thursday released the latest TB surveillance data for the U.S. showing that TB control is working, and that we are steadily moving towards the elimination of this deadly disease.

However, data also suggest that progress is slowing – with 2013-2014 revealing the smallest decline in the TB rate since 1992.

Today's report finds:

— TB cases and rates continue to drop: A total of 9,412 cases were reported in 2014, but there was only a 2.2 percent decline in the rate from 2013, to 3.0 cases per 100,000 population.

— TB strikes with a heavy blow in certain communities and vulnerable populations: The TB rate among foreign-born individuals is 13 times higher than among those born in the U.S. Compared to whites, the TB rate for Asians is 29 times higher, and is eight times higher among both blacks and Hispanics.

— Drug-resistant TB remains relatively rare in the U.S., but it is a costly and severe obstacle with the potential to upend decades of progress: In 2013, multidrug-resistant (MDR) TB accounted for 1.3 percent of cases, or 96 total cases. One case of extensively-drug resistant (XDR) TB was reported so far in 2014. These cases are much harder to treat and more likely to be fatal.

— The reversal of a disease that was once the leading cause of death in the U.S. – to one that is largely forgotten by many Americans – is a monumental public health achievement. Yet preventing resurgence of TB requires unceasing effort, as recent outbreaks of other infectious diseases have shown. CDC is committed to eliminating TB, but it will require an "all hands on deck" approach. Researchers, health departments, healthcare providers, and even patients all have a role to play.

Source: Centers for Disease Control CDC: Nationwide, TB control working •

The Centers for Disease Control on Thursday released the latest TB surveillance data for the U.S. showing that TB control is working, and that we are steadily moving towards the elimination of this deadly disease.

However, data also suggest that progress is slowing – with 2013-2014 revealing the smallest decline in the TB rate since 1992.

Today's report finds:

— TB cases and rates continue to drop: A total of 9,412 cases were reported in 2014, but there was only a 2.2 percent decline in the rate from 2013, to 3.0 cases per 100,000 population.

— TB strikes with a heavy blow in certain communities and vulnerable populations: The TB rate among foreign-born individuals is 13 times higher than among those born in the U.S. Compared to whites, the TB rate for Asians is 29 times higher, and is eight times higher among both blacks and Hispanics.

— Drug-resistant TB remains relatively rare in the U.S., but it is a costly and severe obstacle with the potential to upend decades of progress: In 2013, multidrug-resistant (MDR) TB accounted for 1.3 percent of cases, or 96 total cases. One case of extensively-drug resistant (XDR) TB was reported so far in 2014. These cases are much harder to treat and more likely to be fatal.

— The reversal of a disease that was once the leading cause of death in the U.S. – to one that is largely forgotten by many Americans – is a monumental public health achievement. Yet preventing resurgence of TB requires unceasing effort, as recent outbreaks of other infectious diseases have shown. CDC is committed to eliminating TB, but it will require an "all hands on deck" approach. Researchers, health departments, healthcare providers, and even patients all have a role to play.

Source: Centers for Disease Control