FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) - Students at Dillard High School in Fort Lauderdale returned to classes wearing masks after a message was sent out to parents that an individual who was on-campus was diagnosed with tuberculosis.
Tuberculosis, also known as TB, is an infectious bacterial infection that is primarily contracted when it is breathed through the lungs. According to the U.S. Health Department, it can then move on to affect the person’s brain, kidney or spine.
“It’s actually the number one leading cause of infectious disease in the world, about 10 million cases a year worldwide and, actually, 1.5 million deaths,” said Dr. Jerry Capote, Chief Medical Officer at Broward Health North. “It can cause a pneumonia-type symptom. It can also go beyond the lung to the brain, cause meningitis, and it can go disseminated, which means it enters the bloodstream and infects the body, kind of, distributed throughout.”
Students returned to school wearing masks, concerned by the disease.
“No one has ever gotten a case ever since I was born, you know, so it was like is this going to be the next COVID,” said student Shihi Williams.
Broward County Public Schools confirmed the individual diagnosed with TB was a student at the school.
“He kept coughing and, like, I was scared, and I looked on my phone, it was like, ‘Oh, somebody got sick,'” said Breyon, another student. “I think the ambulance came and got him.”
“It scared me, and my friend right here,” said Quran Eli. “How did you even acquire that sickness, like, how did you get that?”
Florida saw a 9% increase in confirmed TB cases just last year. According to the CDC, tuberculosis rates across the U.S. have increased from 2.5 to 2.9 cases per 100,000 people between 2022 and 2023.
“If you’re in a closed proximity with someone with active TB, the main thing is to seek medical attention, diagnose and treat the person with active TB and prevent the spread of it by putting that person in respiratory isolation,” Capote said.
With low rates of infection across the country, vaccinations aren’t often administered for TB. The vaccination, known as BCG, also only provides protection for young children up to 5 years of age from developing more lethal types of TB. Students at Dillard High School, however, remained vigilant, covering up to prevent potential exposure to the disease.
“You see, he got on gloves,” Breyon said, pointing out his friend’s gloves.
“Got to be precautious,” his friend said.
Some students weren’t sure it was real when they first heard about it, but wanted to be cautious after confirming it was true.
“I might take it serious, ’cause I thought it was trolling, but I searched it up, and it’s serious,” D’vante Missick said.
Health officials for the district were present on campus doing screenings for students who were in close contact with the student who tested positive.
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