Student at university in Wales dies of tuberculosis

A STUDENT has died of tuberculosis in a university in Wales.

The student, whose sex and age has not been revealed, died at the University of Wales Trinity St David’s campus in Lampeter.

Health professionals and university officials are working to identify close contacts of the deceased and offer them TB screening.

Public Health Wales said a specialist team is looking into the case and assessing if any control measures are needed, but insisted that “the risk to the general public remains very low”.

The health agency also said there is no link between this case and the ongoing outbreak of TB at Llwynhendy, Carmarthenshire.

Work to identify close contacts is ongoing and anyone who would benefit from TB screening will be contacted directly.

Yesterday, Public Health Wales (PHW) said it had been notified of the student’s death at the Lampeter campus of University of Wales Trinity St David.

The health agency, Hywel Dda University Health Board and the University of Wales Trinity St David are currently working together to identify close contacts of the deceased and offer them TB screening.

Sion Lingard, consultant in health protection for PHW, said: “A multiagency incident management team (IMT) has been convened to look into this case and any control measures that are needed.

“We are in the process of identifying close contacts of the deceased to offer them TB screening by Hywel Dda University Health Board and providing advice to staff and students of the university.”

The University of Wales Trinity St David’s said in a statement: “The university is saddened by the death of a student of the Academy of Sinology in Lampeter who sadly passed away recently with tuberculosis (TB).

“We are working closely with Public Health Wales and Hywel Dda UHB and have communicated the guidance received as well as our own sources of support to our staff and students.”