Public Health Tuberculosis check in North Wellington
Wellington Dufferin Guelph Public Health continues to investigate contacts of two active cases of tuberculosis in North Wellington.
Medical Officer of Health Dr. Nicola Mercer, said, “After eight weeks, its standard procedure to re-test anyone who may have previously tested negative for TB and was exposed to a case of active TB. A positive TB skin test confirms a person has been exposed to the germ but is not necessarily a risk to others.”
She added, “Only those with active disease are able to spread the disease to others. We completed the first round of testing in August. We’re now awaiting results from the second round of testing.”
Although TB is a communicable disease, the risk to the community is low. A person diagnosed with active TB would have to spend a prolonged period of time in the same room with someone in order to transmit the disease. For more information about TB, visit www.wdghu.org.
