The Allen County Health Department and a representative from FWCS Health and Wellness will participate in a press conference at 1 p.m. You can watch it live above.
FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WPTA) – The Allen County Health Department said it is working closely with the state’s largest school district to investigate a case of active tuberculosis (TB) within the county.
The health department said the active case of tuberculosis was recently confirmed in the Fort Wayne Community Schools (FWCS) district. No further information about the patient will be released, officials said.
The ministry stresses that the risk to students and staff is “very low” because transmission normally only occurs when someone is in close contact with an infected person for a long period of time.
They say anyone who meets these criteria has already been contacted and offered a free tuberculosis test.
“This can be a troubling time for parents, students, teachers and staff,” said Erika Pitcher, the department’s director of clinical services and case management. “The health and well-being of everyone at our schools and throughout the community is our top priority, and we are doing whatever is necessary to manage the situation.”
TB is a contagious, airborne infectious disease caused by bacteria that spread when an infected person coughs, sneezes or spits. The health department stresses that transmission usually requires close contact over a long period of time, meaning the likelihood of transmission in a school setting is very low.
Symptoms of TB include feeling sick or weak, weight loss, chills, fever, and night sweats. If the disease is in the lungs, symptoms may also include cough and chest pain.
Tuberculosis is also treatable and not uncommon in Allen County, according to the health department. In 2023, 10 cases of tuberculosis were confirmed in the county, according to the health department.
For more information on tuberculosis testing, visit the department’s website here.
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
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