School officials are notifying families after an individual at South Portland High School was recently diagnosed with tuberculosis.
Tuberculosis bacteria are spread into the air when a person with tuberculosis coughs, speaks, or sings. People nearby may breathe in these bacteria and become infected.
The possibility of spreading tuberculosis is low, according to officials. It is recommended that only those students and staff who may have had close contact with this individual be tested.
South Portland Superintendent Tim Matheney said all close contacts have already been notified.
There were 7,882 tuberculosis cases reported in the U.S. in 2021, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
