LOCAL NEWS

Utah high school student has tuberculosis, testing efforts underway

Mar 14, 2023, 1:00 PM | Updated: 5:18 pm

Mountain Crest High School (KSL TV)...

Mountain Crest High School (KSL TV)

(KSL TV)

CACHE COUNTY, Utah — A Utah high school student has been identified with tuberculosis and other students with prolonged contact will be tested.

“We had some contact tracers reach out to those that were considered close or prolonged contact with the index case,” Estee Hunt, public information officer for the Bear River Health Department said. “We spoke with the parents or guardians of those individuals and were able to let them know that we would provide testing for them, and it was done today at the high school.”

Cache County School District and Bear River Health Department released a joint statement that a student at Mountain Crest High School had an active TB case. TB is a disease that is caused by a bacteria that usually attacks the lungs but can also attack other parts of the body.

“There’s latent TB and active TB,” Hunt said. “Someone can be a carrier for latent TB and have no symptoms and nobody would even know and they’re not contagious at all. Only when it becomes active TB is it actually considered contagious.”

The release explained that while it was important for the Mountain Crest student body and faculty to be aware of the TB case, only a few individuals would have had close contact, putting them at risk.

“TB is spread through close and prolonged contact with an individual with infectious, active TB disease,” Dr. Parfulla Garg, Medical Director of the Bear River Health Department said. “TB is spread through the air from one person to another, but it is not spread by shaking someone’s hand, sharing food or drink, touching bed linens or toilet seats, sharing toothbrushes, or kissing. Despite the fact that active TB only develops approximately 5-10% of the time in an exposed individual, testing of exposed individuals is highly recommended in order to prevent the spread of the disease. TB is a serious disease, and proactive testing is necessary to help prevent further spread and avoid severe complications.”

The school and district have been working closely with Bear River Health Department to determine staff or students that may have had prolonged contact with the student.

“COVID was, we knew six feet,” Hunt said. “That was what everyone said. If you were within six feet, that was considered close contact. With tuberculosis, it’s not spread nearly as easily as COVID. It’s defined as, basically, a prolonged contact of eight hours with this individual in a classroom for eight hours within that week.”

Complimentary testing will be available for anyone the health department has identified as being at risk. Students or staff with weaker immune systems are also encouraged to test and will also be offered complimentary testing.

The release states, “The Bear River Health Department will begin contacting and testing affected students and faculty at the school on Monday, March 13th, and Tuesday, March 14th. The health department will work with individuals based on their exposure to determine if follow-up testing (8-10 weeks) is necessary. Individuals who are not determined to be at-risk and would like testing should contact their healthcare provider or come to the South Logan Office of the Bear River Health Department, located at 635 South 100 East, Logan, UT. Please visit brhd.org for more information or if you can’t find the answers to your questions online call the tuberculosis (TB) hotline at (435)
792-6567.”

The signs and symptoms of active TB disease are prolonged cough, fevers, chills, night sweats, weight loss, loss of appetite, or chest pain. If you are experiencing these symptoms, please contact your healthcare provider or seek medical care.

“If you’re concerned there’s no reason you shouldn’t seek testing,” Hunt said.

She said the student will not return to school as long as they are contagious and symptomatic.

KSL 5 TV Live

Local News

Caroline Gleich wants to change what a senator should look like...

Bridger Beal-Cvetko, KSL.com

Caroline Gleich wants to change what people think a senator should ‘look’ like

"I don't look like a U.S. senator." It's a message professional ski mountaineer and Democratic Senate candidate Caroline Gleich has heard often enough as she began her first televised ad of the 2024 cycle by addressing it.

46 minutes ago

Loren Richardson shoots video of him snowboarding when a Brighton man confronted him on Feb. 26. Th...

Pat Reavy, KSL.com

Brighton resident charged with threatening, pointing shotgun at snowboarder

A Brighton man was charged Thursday with aggravated assault and accused of pointing a shotgun at a backcountry skier who went on his property on Feb. 26.

2 hours ago

Follow @KSL5TVLike us on Facebook...

Eliza Pace

Breeze Airways announces new flights out of Provo to Dallas Fort Worth

Getting to the Lone Star State just got easier. Breeze Airways announced a new flights to Dallas Fort Worth from Provo.

3 hours ago

(KSL TV)...

Andrew Adams

Data shows significant uptick in gas prices over past month in Salt Lake area

Gas prices rose considerably over the past month in the Salt Lake area, according to data from industry watchers.

4 hours ago

A UDOT snowplow clears the road in Big Cottonwood Canyon on Feb. 9. Up to 2 feet of snow or more is...

Carter Williams, KSL.com

Rain, snow to impact many parts of Utah throughout Easter weekend

It might be spring, but winter weather remains in Utah's forecast for Easter weekend as the end of the traditional snowpack collection period nears.

5 hours ago

Man being taken on stretcher to an ambulance figures blurred...

Lauren Steinbrecher

West Jordan man trying ‘to be funny’ allegedly shot and killed best friend

Investigators believe a joke between friends turned into the shooting death of a West Jordan man. The fatal mistake is also turning into a message police hope every gun owner can hear.

16 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

Women hold card for scanning key card to access Photocopier Security system concept...

Les Olson

Why Printer Security Should Be Top of Mind for Your Business

Connected printers have vulnerable endpoints that are an easy target for cyber thieves. Protect your business with these tips.

Modern chandelier hanging from a white slanted ceiling with windows in the backgruond...

Lighting Design

Light Up Your Home With These Top Lighting Trends for 2024

Check out the latest lighting design trends for 2024 and tips on how you can incorporate them into your home.

Technician woman fixing hardware of desktop computer. Close up....

PC Laptops

Tips for Hassle-Free Computer Repairs

Experiencing a glitch in your computer can be frustrating, but with these tips you can have your computer repaired without the stress.

Close up of finger on keyboard button with number 11 logo...

PC Laptops

7 Reasons Why You Should Upgrade Your Laptop to Windows 11

Explore the benefits of upgrading to Windows 11 for a smoother, more secure, and feature-packed computing experience.

Stylish room interior with beautiful Christmas tree and decorative fireplace...

Lighting Design

Create a Festive Home with Our Easy-to-Follow Holiday Prep Guide

Get ready for festive celebrations! Discover expert tips to prepare your home for the holidays, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere for unforgettable moments.

Battery low message on mobile device screen. Internet and technology concept...

PC Laptops

9 Tips to Get More Power Out of Your Laptop Battery

Get more power out of your laptop battery and help it last longer by implementing some of these tips from our guide.

Utah high school student has tuberculosis, testing efforts underway