An individual at a Southeast San Diego Juvenile Court and Community School was recently diagnosed with tuberculosis (TB) and may have exposed students and staff to the disease, the County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) reported today.
HHSA is working in close collaboration with the San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE) to notify students and staff at the Juvenile Court and Community School Thurgood Marshall campus who were possibly exposed. The period of exposure is from January 3 to March 21, 2011.
“Symptoms of active TB include persistent cough, fever, night sweats and unexplained weight loss,” says Wilma Wooten, M.D., M.P.H., County Public Health Officer. “Most people who are exposed to TB do not develop the disease, but when it does occur, it can be treated and cured with medication; that’s why it’s important to identify those who have been exposed.”
SDCOE administers the Juvenile Court and Community School Thurgood Marshall program. SDCOE is offering no-cost testing for students and staff July 26 at the school campus located on Alva Street in San Diego.
Individuals who would like more information may call Thurgood Marshall’s main office at (619) 233-2801 or the County TB Control Program at (619) 692-8621.
To date there have been a total of 108 cases of TB reported in 2011.
