Tuberculosis: Person associated with Arizona elementary school tests positive
((File Photo))
TUCSON, Ariz. - Officials with a major Southern Arizona school district announced that a person associated with one of the district's schools has tuberculosis.
What we know:
In a statement we received on Sept. 22, officials say the individual with the disease is associated with Van Buskirk Elementary School.
"In conjunction with school officials and staff, the Public Health Department is in the process of evaluating students and staff who have been exposed," read a portion of the district's statement. "All students and staff who test positive for infection will receive further testing and medication to ensure that they do not develop the active form of TB disease."
District officials say Pima County Health Department's Tuberculosis Control Program is not classifying the incident as an emergency situation.
Area where the school is located
What we don't know:
District officials did not identify the individual who became infected.
Why you should care:
District officials say having close contact with an infected person is the most common way to become infected with the bacteria that causes TB.
"The longer the contact, the higher the risk of infection transmission," read a portion of their statement.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Tuberculosis germs are put into the air when a person with active TB of the lungs or throat coughs, speaks, or sings.
"These germs can stay in the air for several hours, depending on the environment. TB germs are more likely to spread in indoor areas or other places with poor air circulation (such as a closed vehicle) than in outdoor areas. People who breathe in the air become infected with TB," read the CDC's website. 'If not treated properly, TB disease can be fatal."
Local perspective:
According to data from the Arizona Department of Health Services, there were 201 reported cases of tuberculosis in Arizona for 2025, and of the 201 cases, 120 of them happened in Maricopa County (59.7%), and another 25 cases happened in Pima County (12.4%).
The Source: Information for this article was gathered from a statement released by the Tucson Unified School District, and from the websites of the Arizona Department of Health Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This story was reported on from Phoenix.