Active tuberculosis case detected at a high school in Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Health authorities in the state of Florida confirmed on Tuesday an active tuberculosis case at Dillard High School, located in the city of Fort Lauderdale, in Broward County.

According to a statement from the Florida Department of Health in Broward County, an individual with tuberculosis was recently on the school campus.

Initially, the authorities did not specify whether it was a student, a staff member, or a teacher, although they assured that necessary measures are being taken to contain any possible contagion, reported Telemundo 51.

"The Broward County Health Department and the Broward County Public Schools (BCPS) have identified and notified individuals who have been determined to be close contacts at this time. No additional measures are required unless you are contacted directly," the school principal stated in a message to parents and guardians.

The authorities also reported that health teams will be present on campus to conduct medical tests for identified contacts, always with the prior consent of the parents or legal guardians of the students.

In another report from Telemundo 51, it was specified that it involved a student, which has raised concern among both the student body and parents.

Moreover, they noted that the ill student is healthy, while diagnostic tests are being carried out on the rest of the students, teachers, and staff at the secondary school.

Doctor and epidemiologist Dadilia Garcés, cited by the television station, explained that the disease can manifest in two forms: active and inactive. In the first, the infected person shows symptoms and transmits tuberculosis.

According to figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2024, there were 10,300 reported cases of tuberculosis in the United States, an 8% increase compared to those recorded in 2023.

Of the total, 681 cases were confirmed in Florida, which represents a 9% increase compared to what was reported in 2023.

Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which primarily affects the lungs and is transmitted through the air when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks.

Although it is curable with proper treatment, it can be serious if not detected in time.

The detection of contagious diseases in school environments has raised growing concern among parents and health authorities in Florida.

A case of whooping cough at an elementary school in Weston has raised alarms recently, after parents were informed about the possible exposure of their children to this highly contagious respiratory disease.

School and health authorities organized a vaccination campaign in response, emphasizing the need for swift action in the face of outbreaks of this kind in educational institutions.

Another alarming example was the confirmation of a measles case at a high school in Miami-Dade County.

This incident prompted a tracing of contacts and joint actions between the school district and the Florida Department of Health to prevent the spread of the virus.

This situation is compounded by the increasing risk of infections caused by external agents such as carnivorous bacteria like Vibrio vulnificus, whose rise has been linked to the impact of hurricanes and subsequent flooding.

These bacteria, found in warm coastal waters, pose an additional danger to children and young people with open wounds who attend educational centers located near affected areas.

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