Tuberculosis Case Identified At Beaumont High School; Exposure Warning

BEAUMONT, CA — Public health officials are working to alert about 150 parents of students, faculty and staff members of Beaumont High School who may have been exposed to a student sick with Tuberculosis recently.

The exposure could have occurred between Aug. 8 and Sept. 19, the Riverside University Health System - Public Health announced Thursday.

While the risk of infection is low, those who receive an exposure notification are urged to get tested, said Riverside County Public Health Officer Dr. Geoffrey Leung. Those who are not considered at-risk were already notified and informed that no further action was needed.

"The test is quick and can provide peace of mind for both individuals and their families," Leung said.

The student, who is currently isolating at home, is expected to fully recover, public health officials said. Those exposed could have come in "close contact" with the student.

If a test is positive, the patient will be sent to get a chest X-ray and follow up with Public Health. If the exam shows no disease in the lungs, then the treatment for latent TB will be recommended. It consists of three to six months of anti-tuberculosis pills, according to officials.

"Our entire community should be reassured by the collaborative efforts between our District and county health officials who have worked tirelessly in their response," Mays Kakish, Beaumont Unified School District superintendent, said Thursday.

It is unknown where the student contracted the disease, but officials are working with the family and others in close contact with the student.

Tuberculous is a bacterial disease that is spread through the air through prolonged, repeated and close contact with someone who is infected. The disease is uncommon but if contracted, the complications can be serious.

Here are the symptoms to look out for:

• Persistent cough
• Fever
• Night sweats
• Unexplained weight loss

In most cases, people will have a latent infection that does not progress to an "active" disease. This is why it is important to be treated, officials said.

Those who are concerned about their risk were urged to take this TB self-assessment follow up with a primary care doctor.

2,113 TB cases were reported in California in 2023, according to the California Department of Public Health. In Riverside County, 60 TB cases were reported last year, which represents 2.5 cases per 100,000 people, Public Health said.