TORONTO – There is another confirmed case of tuberculosis at a Toronto high school.
A spokesperson for the Toronto Catholic District School Board confirmed to Global News Wednesday that there is a case of tuberculosis at Chaminade College School.
The school, at 490 Queens Drive near Jane Street and Lawrence Avenue, was made aware of the diagnosis on Tuesday at 4 p.m.
As a result, the school instituted its ‘Infection Control Protocol,’ according to Corrado Maltese, a Safety Manager with the TCDSB. The protocol includes additional cleaning and disinfecting of items such as door handles in common areas.
The unidentified person who contracted TB is recovering at home.
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The school has remained open and classes are continuing.
The diagnosis is the second time in a month that a Toronto high school student has been diagnosed with tuberculosis.
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In September, an unidentified person at Scarborough’s Mary Ward Catholic Secondary School was diagnosed with the disease. The school’s population in that case was deemed to be at a “very low risk of exposure.”
Below is a copy of the letter going home to the parents and guardians of students at Chaminade College School.
Dear Parent(s)/Guardians(s);
Toronto Public Health (TPH) has informed us that someone at the school has been diagnosed with Tuberculosis (TB). The individual is at home on treatment and is doing well.
TPH has reassured us that the general school population is at low risk of exposure and that only those with close, prolonged contact require any follow up. Anyone who has had casual contact is not at risk and does not require testing. Friends and siblings of the individual are safe to attend the school.
TB is an infectious disease and can be spread when someone who has active TB in the lungs coughs or sneezes the germs into the air. It is not easily spread; however, a person can become infected if he/she has close, prolonged contact with the person who has TB. Symptoms include a cough that lasts more than 3 weeks, weight loss, fever/chills, night sweats and feeling more tired than usual. TB is treatable and curable with medication.
Approximately 300 cases of TB are reported to TPH every year. 10 – 15 of these are in schools.
If you have any questions, please phone 416-338-8380 to speak with the TB nurses at TPH, Monday – Friday, between 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., or visit the TPH website at: www.toronto.ca/health/tb_prevention
The health and safety of everyone at Chaminade is always our top priority. I have been in contact with TCDSB Health and Safety and they have arranged for additional cleaning and disinfection of common surfaces throughout the school.
TPH will be contacting those that require follow up this week.
I have attached a TB fact sheet from TPH in this email. An education session has been schedule for the community on Friday October 18 at 6:30 pm in the Chaminade library. Feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the affected member of our community and his family.
Sincerely
Carmine Settino, Principal
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