TB tests at Phoenix Elementary come up negative

No positive results have surfaced among 68 tuberculosis tests conducted at Phoenix Elementary School in Grand Forks, according to a Friday news release.

The Grand Forks Public Health Department began testing students and staff members at the school after it confirmed on Nov. 9 a student did have the disease.

While conducting further testing, a second student’s results came back positive for TB Wednesday.

Only people determined to have close contact with the two students with active TB were asked to get a TB skin test

One staff member’s results did come back abnormal Thursday, but officials say they were referred to their healthcare provider for additional testing. Further blood tests were negative for TB and the staff member has been allowed to return to work.

Students and staff tested this past week will be re-tested in eight weeks. That’s how long the incubation period lasts from infection to physical manifestation, and the re-testing is a normal procedure, said Grand Forks Public Health Director Don Shields.

“I’m not going to take any chances with kids,” Shields said.

Tags: grand forks, gf and egf, phoenix elementary, news, updates, tb, health