Riverside County health officials on Monday morning were urging dozens of students to get tested at a local elementary school after a staff member was diagnosed with tuberculosis.
Letters have been sent out to the parents or guardians of about 160 students at Westside Elementary School in Thermal who may have been exposed to the infectious disease, according to a news release from Riverside University Health System, Public Health.
The school — located at 82225 Airport Blvd. — is working to notify teachers and other staff members who possibly came into contact with the infected individual, the release stated.
Those who receive the letter from the agency should have their child tested at a tuberculosis clinic, officials said. The clinic will take place at the school at an undetermined date.
There is no need for anyone who did not receive the letter to be tested, as they are not considered to be at risk, according to the release.
Tuberculosis is an airborne disease that can be contracted when someone breathes in air exhaled by someone with an active case of the disease, the release stated. It is not spread by food or drink, physical contact, or through bed linens and toilet seats, for example.
The risk of transmission is low, according to Riverside County Public Health Officer Dr. Cameron Kaiser.
“While the risk of infection is low, it’s important that parents who receive the notification letter get their child tested,” Kaiser said in the release. “The testing is quick and can provide peace of mind for both parents and children.”
The disease can, however, result in serious complications if left untreated.
The staff member has been receiving treatment and is expected to make a fully recovery.