A look at the front entrance to the Southern Nevada Health District community health center at 280 S. Decatur Blvd.
Published Friday, Dec. 15, 2023 | 9:31 a.m.
Updated Friday, Dec. 15, 2023 | 2 p.m.
People at 18 schools in the Las Vegas area and a Clark County School District training center might have been exposed to tuberculosis, health officials said.
A person with active TB was on 26 school campuses before they realized they were infected, according to the Southern Nevada Health District.
No exposures were identified at eight schools, while individual notifications were happening at 17 campuses for people who might have been exposed, officials said. A broader notification was being made at Ruthie Deskin Elementary School, officials said.
The Health District said an initial investigation determined the infected person had minimal close contact with individuals at most of the campuses. Health officials did not say whether those potentially exposed were faculty members or students.
No information was released about the person identified with active TB, their role with the School District or their condition. Health District officials also did not say when the potential exposures might have occurred.
Notifications were being made at the district training center and at these other schools: Bruner Elementary, Carl Elementary, Centennial High, Cheyenne High, Darnell Elementary, Goynes Elementary, Guy Elementary, Kahre Elementary and Katz Elementary.
Notifications were also going out at Leavitt Elementary, Lied Middle, May Elementary, Neal Elementary, O’Roarke Elementary, Saville Middle, Tobler Elementary and Triggs Elementary.
Schools the infected person visited but where no contacts have been identified so far are Allen Elementary, Conners Elementary, Eisenberg Elementary, Fong Elementary, McMillan Elementary, Priest Elementary, Scherkenbach Elementary and Tarr Elementary.
Tuberculosis is a serious illness that mainly affects the lungs and is treated with antibiotics, according to the Mayo Clinic. It can cause symptoms including coughing, fever and chills and can spread from the lungs to other parts of the body.
The Health District noted that not everyone who may have been exposed will be infected, and not everyone who is infected with TB has active disease.
TB screening and testing are provided to identify cases of latent TB infection. People who have latent TB infection have no signs or symptoms of the disease. They are not sick and cannot spread the disease to others, officials said.
The Health District offers treatment for those infected with TB to prevent the development of active TB disease and avoid future exposures to TB cases in the community, officials said.
The Health District has set up an information line for people who may have additional questions about the investigation. It’s available from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays by calling 702-759-4636 or 866-767-5038.
