AURORA | The Adams County Health Department is investigating a confirmed case of tuberculosis in a detainee at the GEO Group detention center in Aurora, but says the facility has not provided all of the information necessary to determine whether more cases might exist.

A statement provided by the health department Tuesday says it has confirmed one case of tuberculosis, adding the GEO facility has not notified the department about other confirmed cases.

“ACHD continues to seek the information and access necessary to complete this legally required public health investigation,” Dr. Kelly Weidenbach, executive director of the Adams County Health Department, said in a statement. “This includes access to medical records, the patient, and information necessary to identify individuals who may have been exposed. Because ACHD has not yet received all of the information necessary to complete its investigation, the Department cannot independently verify reports regarding additional cases or determine whether additional individuals require or determine whether additional individuals require evaluation or follow-up.”

The health department said the facility did not voluntarily provide the information it needed to investigate the tuberculosis case and the department issued a Public Health Order on June 25 to require the facility to comply with Colorado laws around tuberculosis investigations. 

Colorado law requires facilities and healthcare providers to notify local and state public health authorities on a strict timeline and requires the local health departments to investigate every confirmed case. It is illegal to “willfully violate, disobey or disregard” a public health order.

The Sentinel reached out on Tuesday to a media representative for ICE, but has not received a response.

The county health department said its investigation is incomplete and the full scope of cases is unknown. The Guardian reported Tuesday that at least 12 detainees had tested positive for tuberculosis, citing information from an unnamed detainee.

Tuberculosis is an airborne, bacterial disease, and the department says those potentially exposed include other detainees, facility staff, contractors, visitors and people who have since left the facility.

While tuberculosis is preventable and curable with treatment, the health department says untreated active disease can cause severe lung damage, spread to other organs, and may result in permanent disability or death. 

“Prompt identification of exposed individuals is critical to preventing additional illness,” the statement said.

Aurora’s city council recently passed two ordinances that will require the facility to report communicable diseases to the fire department and submit to regular health and safety inspections, but those ordinances have not yet gone into effect.

Councilmember Gianina Horton said she’s frustrated by the actions of the GEO facility, which she said “completely disregards the safety and well-being of Aurorans.”

“I really appreciate (the health department’s) boldness to let the public know that the GEO facility is resisting the need to share information about a serious airborne disease in a potential public health crisis,” Horton said. “The GEO facility in particular continues to choose resistance to cooperating with the Adams County Health Department and it doesn’t bode well for trust that they’re doing due diligence to protect the safety of everyone in their facility, much less everyone outside.”

State legislators also passed a new law this year to allow additional health and safety inspections at immigration facilities, with facilities facing financial penalties of up to $50,000 for denying inspectors access. The GEO Group is suing the state over the law.

The facility was most recently inspected by Congressman Jason Crow’s staff in March, who reported at the time that there were more than 1,200 people detained. Crow’s report says the facility said there were no communicable diseases, but staff spoke with a man who was visibly ill and who said others had similar symptoms.

In a statement to the Sentinel, Crow said for-profit prisons, like the GEO facility, have “perpetuated ICE’s lawlessness and endangered our communities.”

“I’ve led the charge to end this broken and humane system. Until we do, I’ll continue to conduct oversight to hold ICE accountable,” Crow said. 

The GEO facility has a history of not properly reporting disease outbreaks or cooperating with health department investigations. Earlier this year, the Adams County Health Department reported not being able to get information to investigate potential widespread illness.

In 2019, the facility didn’t fully report information about detainees with chickenpox and mumps.   

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