Panic ensued after a high school student in Pennsylvania with tuberculosis went back to class without being cleared by their doctor.
The student had been diagnosed a couple of weeks ago but showed up to class in Washington County on Monday without a doctor’s permission.
Staff ‘immediately isolated the student and sent them home’ after learning what had happened, according to a Facebook post from Charleroi Area School District’s Superintendent Ed Zelich on January 13.
Employees ‘thoroughly cleaned the areas where the student was isolated,’ Zelich wrote.
He added: ‘After reviewing the situation, [The Pennsylvania Department of Health] confirmed that no public health action is currently necessary for our district.’
However, outrage spurred when parents and community members pointed out a previous statement from the school on December 27 claiming there were ‘no active tuberculosis cases’ in their school district among staff or students.
Zelich concluded in his latest update that the school district is ‘closely monitoring the situation and will continue to work with the appropriate health authorities to ensure our students and staff’s safety and well-being.’
Tuberculosis is a serious and highly contagious disease that is caused by a germ called Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
Staff ‘immediately isolated the student and sent them home’ after learning what had happened, according to a Facebook post from Charleroi Area School District’s Superintendent Ed Zelich (pictured) on January 13
However, outrage spurred when parents and community members pointed out a previous statement from the school on December 27 claiming there were ‘no active tuberculosis cases’ in their school district among staff or students
The illness spreads through the air and settles in the lungs where it begins to grow, with the possibility of moving through the blood to other parts of the body such as the brain, spine, and kidneys.
Tuberculosis germs can spread from person to person through the air when an infected person with active TB coughs, speaks, or sings, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
It can stay in the air for several hours and is more likely to spread indoors or areas with poor air circulation.
Someone infected with the disease may experience no symptoms and cannot spread the disease, this is known as inactive TB.
However, without treatment inactive TB can develop into active TB.
Without treatment, active TB can be fatal.
