Active Tuberculosis Case Detected At Lakeville South High School

Active Tuberculosis Case Detected At Lakeville South High School

Health officials have contacted those considered to be close contacts.

An active case of tuberculosis (TB) has been diagnosed in an individual at Lakeville South High School, according to local officials.

In an email to district families on Monday, Dakota County Public Health said, "[T]here is no further risk of exposure at the school from the individual with active TB."

The agency said it conducted a contact investigation and identified a small group considered to be close contacts who will be screened for TB.

The investigation found that the "vast majority" of students, teachers, and staff at the high school were not at high risk for exposure to active TB at the school, Dakota County shared.

In a statement, Lakeville Public Schools said the district has partnered closely with county health officials and the Minnesota Department of Health to support a thorough investigation.

"The safety and well-being of our students and staff is our number one priority," the district shared.

According to Dakota County Public Health, the bacteria that causes TB spreads through the air when an infected person talks, coughs, or sneezes.

However, unlike the common cold or flu, TB is not easy to contract and often requires prolonged exposure for the bacteria to spread.

"It is not spread through sharing food or drinks, handshakes or touching surfaces where a person with active TB has been," the county wrote in an email to families

Symptoms of active TB include a cough that lasts longer than three weeks, chest pain, night sweats, fever, and more.

Active TB is treatable with antibiotics but can be deadly without proper detection and treatment.

According to Amy Barrett, an information officer with MDH, Minnesota typically records between 150 and 170 cases of TB each year.

"We experienced a 3-decade low in 2020, but have been slowly returning to expected levels," Barrett shared.

As of Sept. 30, MDH had recorded 105 cases so far in 2024. More information can be found on the health department's websitehere

SOURCE: Bring Me The News