Student tests positive for tuberculosis at Vista Murrieta High
Riverside County health officials are working with the Murrieta Valley Unified School District to identify students and staff who may have been exposed to a high school student with an active case of tuberculosis.
The Vista Murrieta High School student, who was not identified, has not been in school since last week and will not return “until it is safe to do so,” according to a statement posted on the district’s website.
The student is being treated and is expected to make a full recovery, the district said.
And although health officials stressed that the risk of transmission is very low, Vista Murrieta Principal Mick Wager notified all parents of the situation via a phone message on Thursday, the district said.
Parent Deanne Hazel told KCAL-TV that she received a call and email from the district “and I thought, ‘Great.’ ”
Students and staff who are identified as being at risk will receive an email notice and phone call from the school, as well as a letter from the Riverside County Department of Public Health in the coming days. Officials are recommending that anyone who receives the notice be screened at a clinic being planned at the school.
Those who do not receive a notice are not at risk.
“While the risk of infection is slight, it is important that those who are notified take the time to get tested,” Riverside County Public Health Officer Cameron Kaiser said in a news release. “It will provide peace of mind for those who are concerned about being exposed or begin the next step in the evaluation process.”
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Twitter: @MattStevensLAT
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