Three people diagnosed with TB

THREE people have been diagnosed with TB after they came into close contact with a student who died with the disease in a Welsh town.

Public Health Wales, Hywel Dda University Health Board and Ceredigion Council are investigating cases of what they call “active TB” (tuberculosis) in individuals who were in contact with the University of Wales Trinity St David student, who died in October 2021.

The three people diagnosed with the disease are all “closely linked” to the student, who was a resident at the Lampeter campus of the university in Ceredigion, and are now receiving appropriate treatment.

A multi-agency outbreak control team has been working with Trinity St David to establish the contacts of the three individuals, and to arrange TB screening. Public Health Wales insisted that the risk to students and staff at the university and to the community at large was very low.

Dr Brendan Mason, consultant in communicable disease control for

Public Health Wales, said: “Following established outbreak control procedures, we have identified individuals who have had close contact with the deceased person. These close contacts have been contacted and screened for TB, three of whom have been found to have active TB.

“Our investigations have shown that the three individuals with active TB are all closely linked to the person who sadly died in October 2021. TB is difficult to transmit. It requires close and prolonged contact with an infectious individual for a person to become infected.

“Work is continuing to identify the close contacts of the three cases of active TB, all of whom will be invited for TB screening by Hywel Dda University Health Board. However, we encourage everyone to be aware of the symptoms of TB. If you have symptoms, we advise that you speak to your GP, who can provide you with the appropriate advice and refer you for TB screening if required.”