TB Case Reported at Highland High School

OAKLAND, CA — Oakland school officials and Alameda County health officials are working to investigate a single case of tuberculosis at Skyline High School.

One person whose identity has not been released and who either attends or works at the school in some capacity recently tested positive for the disease, said Oakland Unified School District spokesman John Sasaki.

Alameda County Public Health Department officials are working with the school district to determine just how extensive the person's contact with the school population has been.

"They are looking at how this person might have got it, who that person had contact with this fall and at the end of last (school) year," Sasaki said. "They are also looking at what this person was doing during the summer, who might be susceptible to exposure and, once they find those people, they will do some testing to make sure nobody's sick."

Screenings could begin next week, said county health department spokeswoman Sherri Willis.

It's unclear when the county learned of the diagnosis, however it is known that the person in question has active tuberculosis, is being treated and is no longer on campus, Willis said.

"A notification has already gone out to parents and there is a letter on the school website," Willis said. "We think we'll be screening hundreds of kids (and staff). The screening will be at the school itself and free."

Tuberculosis is a contagious but preventable and curable disease that spreads through the air. It usually attacks the lungs, according to the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.

— Bay City News; Image via Shutterstock