Barcelona faces suspected tuberculosis outbreak at Nou Camp

Barcelona faces suspected tuberculosis outbreak at Nou Camp as health officials investigate after a worker tested positive amid renovation works

Barcelona tuberculosis outbreak at Nou Camp has prompted health authorities to launch an investigation following reports that a construction worker involved in the stadium’s renovation tested positive for the disease.

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According to Spanish newspaper El País, the Barcelona Public Health Agency (ASPB) confirmed that the worker exhibited symptoms consistent with tuberculosis, including persistent coughing, fever, and fatigue. Subsequent medical tests verified the infection.

Health officials have since begun contact tracing for 23 individuals believed to have been exposed to the infected worker.

Three additional staff members are awaiting test results to determine whether they have contracted the illness.

The ASPB noted that an official outbreak would only be declared if two or more related cases are confirmed. “We are following all public health protocols to identify, test, and monitor potential contacts,” the agency said.

Tuberculosis is an airborne bacterial infection transmitted when an infected person coughs or sneezes, releasing droplets that others can inhale.

Although treatable, it remains one of the world’s most persistent infectious diseases.

The investigation comes just days before Barcelona’s open training session scheduled at the Nou Camp, which is nearing completion of its extensive renovation.

Tickets for the 23,000-capacity session have already sold out, and the club said the event will act as a technical test ahead of the full reopening of the 105,000-seat stadium.

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Barcelona FC has yet to issue an official statement regarding the health scare but is reportedly cooperating fully with public health officials to ensure safety standards are maintained.

Quadri Olaitan