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Suspected tuberculosis reported at Oregon State Prison

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According to the Oregon Department of Corrections, an inmate held at the Oregon State Penitentiary was transferred to the Coffee Creek Correctional Facility after being tested for tuberculosis.

The person was taken to a Salem hospital on Saturday for evaluation, the ODOC said.. It can take up to two weeks for test results to be available. The ODOC said it became aware of a suspected case on Friday.

“We understand this news is upsetting, but we are taking all necessary steps to effectively manage this situation,” ODOC Director Mike Reese said in a press release. “Our priority is to protect the health and safety of everyone in our care – both staff and inmates.”

According to Amber Campbell, a spokeswoman for ODOC, ODOC is working with the Oregon Health Authority to conduct contact tracing and identify exposures.

Tuberculosis is a bacterial infection that primarily affects the lungs and can be fatal if not treated properly, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It spreads through the air when an infected person coughs, sneezes or sings, and can remain airborne for several hours. Tuberculosis bacteria can survive dormant in the body for years without causing disease, but the infection can become active at any time.

The ODOC has not yet responded to Statesman Journal's questions about how many inmates may have been exposed to the virus or which hospital each person was tested at.

Isabel Funk covers breaking news and public safety for the Statesman Journal. Funk can be reached at [email protected] or on X under @isabeldfunk

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