Alberta Health Services (AHS) said there’s no risk to the general public after reporting that 53 individuals may have been exposed to a confirmed case of tuberculosis (TB) on Thursday.
“The exposures were contained to one Calgary zone school and are not a risk to the general public,” an AHS news release said. “Though this case is not a risk to the general public, AHS Public Health is informing the public of this case and follow-up actions as a matter of transparency.”
AHS would not reveal in which Calgary-area school the respiratory disease had been detected but said that 53 people will be mailed letters in the next few days “for standard TB assessment and screening and treatment, if required.”
Only those who get a letter from AHS are considered potentially exposed, and “risk of transmission to these individuals is low,” AHS said.
TB is a contagious bacteria and mainly affects the lungs and airways, according to the Government of Canada.
Symptoms include:
- a bad cough that lasts longer than two weeks; sometimes the cough may produce blood and phlegm (thick liquid that comes up from your lungs or airways)
- chest pain
- weakness or tiredness
- weight loss
- a lack of appetite
- chills
- fever
- night sweats
The government said up to 90 per cent of those who become infected do not develop the condition. This is called “latent tuberculosis,” and these people are not considered contagious.
The disease is found in infected water droplets, which may be spread through coughing, sneezing, singing, playing a wind instrument and sometimes talking, according to the government. It is not spread through hand-shaking, sharing dishes or sitting on toilet seats.
If it is suspected by a doctor that a person has the disease, a test will be done. Should the test come back as positive for the disease, a course of antibiotics will be prescribed by a doctor, the government said.
More information on TB can be found on the AHS website or at Health Canada’s website.
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