FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – The Cumberland County Department of Public Health is providing an update and additional information regarding a confirmed case of tuberculosis (TB) involving an individual at Seventy-First High School, located at 6764 Raeford Road, Fayetteville.
The Health Department was notified of the confirmed case on Sept. 11 and is conducting the required public health investigation in coordination with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Division of Public Health and Cumberland County Schools.
Possible exposure is limited to a select group of individuals. The Health Department has directly notified and provided recommended TB screening information to all individuals identified as possible close contacts. If you or your child did not receive a direct notification, you are not currently considered a close contact, and no action is recommended at this time.
Being a student, employee or visitor at Seventy-First High School does not automatically mean that an individual was exposed to TB. Public Health investigations consider factors such as the amount of time individuals spent together, proximity and the environment in which contact occurred. Infection usually requires extended or repeated exposure rather than passing contact.
Letters were sent home with students identified as possible close contacts. A ParentLink message was also shared with the Seventy-First High School community, and employees identified as possible close contacts received direct notification from Cumberland County Schools Health Services.
Seventy-First High School remains open and operating. Public Health has not recommended that students or employees who have not been identified as close contacts stay home from school or work.
Understanding TB Testing:
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Being identified as a possible close contact does not mean a person has tuberculosis.
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Individuals identified for screening may receive a TB blood or skin test. A positive test indicates TB infection and does not, by itself, mean that someone has active TB disease or can spread TB to others. Additional medical evaluation is completed to determine whether the infection is inactive, also called latent TB infection, or active TB disease.
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People with latent TB infection do not feel sick, do not have symptoms and cannot spread TB bacteria to other people. Treatment may be recommended to reduce the chance that latent TB infection develops into active TB disease in the future.
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TB spreads through the air from a person with infectious TB disease of the lungs or throat, particularly during prolonged or repeated close contact. TB is not spread by shaking hands, sharing food or drinks, touching surfaces or casual contact.
Residents with questions may contact the Cumberland County Department of Public Health at 910-433-3600 or visit cumberlandcountync.gov/health.