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Tuberculosis Testing Continues at Edinburg CISD

7 years 1 day 16 hours ago Monday, March 27 2017 Mar 27, 2017 March 27, 2017 10:23 PM March 27, 2017 in News

EDINBURG - Hidalgo County continues its investigation into hundreds of students and faculty tested for tuberculosis.

We learned it takes six weeks to confirm if someone is tested positive for TB. Hidalgo County Health and Human Services director Eddie Olivarez said they are not waiting that long.

“TB is a bacterial infection that is very difficult to contract. It’s transmitted by droplets,” he said.

Olivarez said they found a positive case at Edinburg North High School. Therefore, they assessed more than 170 students and staff for precaution.

“Out of the 173 students and staff there’s been no indications of it transmitting to anyone else,” he said.

The director said a small percentage of students and staff will continue to be assessed at the next level of the investigation. He said it’s due to a possible exposure of TB and vaccination at their native country.

“That small percentage – many of them are immigrants so they’re going to test positive to exposure. Not because they have it. It was because they were vaccinated in Mexico or whatever county they came from,” he said.

Olivarez said they have a special team for TB cases.

“I have a clinic, that’s all they do. It’s TB, nothing else,” he said.

The health director said they will continue to follow through with everyone the suspected infected person made contact with.

Olivarez said anyone who has another serious illness or weak immune system can most likely contact the bacterial infection faster. 

Link: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - Tuberculosis (TB)

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