THE SCREENING of pupils at a Cork primary school for TB is expected to be completed by the end of the week but, to date, no source of the outbreak of the disease has been identified.
According to HSE South consultant in public health medicine Dr Margaret O’Sullivan, the HSE had not confirmed any definitive infectious case among the five pupils at Ballintemple National School who have tested positive for full-blown or active pulmonary TB.
Dr O’Sullivan said the five pupils with full-blown TB had all been put on multiple antibiotic treatment under the care of paediatricians at Cork University Hospital. None was contagious, she added, and there was no ongoing risk regarding returning to school.
Dr O’Sullivan said 19 staff were found to be clear. Screening of pupils began last week when more than 120 were tested, with the remaining 100 or so pupils due to be screened before the school reopens next Monday.
Dr O’Sullivan said that, in addition to the five full-blown TB cases, the HSE had also confirmed a further 20 cases of latent TB among the pupils.
She added: “We would emphasise that other children or staff or close contacts are not at risk from contact with either the cases of active TB or latent TB.”