By Dan Hust
MONTICELLO — A single case of tuberculosis at Monticello Central School has thus far not infected anyone else, Sullivan County Public Health Nursing Director Carol Ryan confirmed yesterday.
Nor has the illness claimed the life of its unidentified victim, she added.
“The person is expected to recover fully,” she said, declining to say whether it was a student or a staff member.
As a precaution, the infected individual has been kept from the general population and has yet to return to the district, Ryan explained.
About 300 people who might have been exposed to the bacterial disease have been notified, and many have taken the tuberculosis test offered by Public Health Nursing.
So far, no additional cases have been found.
Parents were told of the situation in a letter sent out last week by Interim Supt. Ed Rhine, who was unavailable yesterday for comment.
Ryan said this is the second case of tuberculosis in Sullivan County this year, though the other one was not related and was not in a school setting.
Those infected with the illness must undergo treatment for several months before they fully recover, but thanks to a simple, effective medication, Ryan said cases continue to decrease across the nation.
She credited both her staff and the Monticello district with ensuring the disease didn’t spread.
“We’ve had really good communication and cooperation from the school,” Ryan affirmed.
Last night, in fact, Ryan and her staff were scheduled to give a presentation to the school community about the disease.
Tuberculosis is contagious, spread mostly by coughing. Symptoms include rapid weight loss, night sweats, fever and a persistent cough.
Those experiencing these conditions should contact their physician right away. The disease is both curable and preventable.
For more information, head to the district’s website at www.monticelloschools.net.