Tuberculosis alert as pupil struck down at Brockhill Park college in Satlwood
The alert has been raised
among pupils at Brockhill Park
by Sam Lennon
School pupils are to be screened for tuberculosis
after one was diagnosed with the illness.
The sixth former at Brockhill Park Performing Arts College
in Saltwood, near Hythe, was struck down in the summer.
Now health officials are testing any youngsters who might have
been in contact with him.
Head teacher Sonette Schwartz said: "The student has
since left - they had been in their last year at the
school.
"But this is now being followed up by the NHS. It is to screen
those who had been in contact with that student."
Mrs Schwarz said in a letter to parents, published on the school
website that they would shortly receive a letter sanctioned by the
Health Protection Unit to screen a "very small number of students
and staff".
She explained health regulations require all parents
to be contacted even if their children are not being screened.
The lung disease is spread through coughing, though there needs
to be close and continued contact with an infected person
- for example a fellow householder - to catch it.
The HPU says screening is always left for at least six to
eight weeks from the time of potential exposure to infection.
The disease develops very slowly and screening too early can
produce false
negative results.
29/11/12
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