Maricopa County Department of Health confirms tuberculosis case in the Valley

SURPRISE, Ariz. (FOX 10) -- FOX 10 has learned that a person connected with a charter school in the West Valley has tested positive for tuberculosis.

According to officials with the Maricopa County Department of Health, the individual diagnosed is connected with Imagine Preparatory in Surprise, but officials did not say if the person was a student or a staff member at the facility. Health officials also say letters to staff and parents were sent out, with those exposed to the individual receiving one letter, and those who did not receiving another letter.

According to the Mayo Clinic, Tuberculosis, or TB, is a potentially serious infectious case that mainly affects a person's long, and symptoms can include coughing that lasts for three or more weeks, coughing up blood, fatigue, and fever. Data provided by the Arizona Department of Health and Human Services show there were 95 cases of Tuberculosis reported in Maricopa County in 2018, representing over half of the state's 178 cases.

Tuberculosis information by the Mayo Clinic
https://www.mayoclinic.org/