A prominent California high school suspended in-person classes after facing over 50 tuberculosis cases.
The first case connected to Archbishop Riordan High School in San Francisco was reported in November. Over 50 latent TB infections have been identified within the school community, according to the San Francisco Department of Public Health. As of last week, there have been three active cases of the airborne bacterial infection.
In-person classes at the private Catholic high school have been suspended through at least Feb. 9, with a hybrid model lasting through Feb. 20. Staff and students who test negative after that date will be allowed on campus, while others will attend classes via Zoom.
“All of these steps are being taken in close consultation with SFDPH and are intended to provide the greatest combination of safety, stability, and continuity of learning,” Archbishop Riordan President Tim Reardon said in a statement.
California’s annual TB incidence rate is 5.4 cases per 100,000, which is almost double the national incidence rate, according to the California Department of Health. SFDPH first issued a health advisory announcing the TB outbreak at Archbishop Riordan on Jan. 29.
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With latent TB, a person is not initially contagious and may not show symptoms for months or even years, according to SFDPH.
However, latent TB can turn active at any time, meaning patients spread the infectious disease and may experience a prolonged cough, fever, and weight loss, among other symptoms. The disease is serious but curable.
