One more child and one more adult at Charlotte Central School had positive skin tests evaluated by Health Department nurses at a clinic on Wednesday, February 11.
To date, a total of 16 children and two adults have tested positive out of 451 students and staff who have been tested and evaluated. It is perfectly safe for children and adults with positive skin test results to be at the school, and for others to be around them, because they are not sick with TB and cannot spread the bacteria.
A small number of students and staff who have not been tested yet will be tested in the coming days.
A positive skin test result does NOT mean that a person is sick with TB disease (active TB), or that they can pass the bacteria on to anyone else. A positive skin test result means that the person has been exposed to TB, and has the bacteria in his or her body.
There are no active cases of TB at the school and there is no ongoing risk.The Health Department set up TB testing clinics after an employee was diagnosed with active TB disease.
The person who has active TB is not at the school, and is being treated. This person will be able to return to school after being cleared by medical professionals and the Health Department as no longer being sick with TB, and no longer able to spread the bacteria.
