CSC student diagnosed with tuberculosis

President Janie Park announced via e-mail Friday that a CSC student was recently diagnosed with active tuberculosis.

“Health officials will be contacting people who had sustained contact with the individual to set up precautionary screenings,” Park’s e-mail states.

Owing to privacy and confidentiality laws, the student’s name and information cannot be released to the public.

“Tuberculosis can damage a person’s lungs or other parts of the body causing serious illness.

“It is spread when a person expels active, untreated tuberculosis germs into the air by coughing, sneezing or speaking. Only people who breathe these germs into their lungs can become infected.

“Typically, only those who have had close, day-to-day contact with an infected person are at high risk of contracting the illness.

“Tuberculosis is less contagious than measles, mumps, chickenpox, and influenza,” a Panhandle Public Health Distrcit (PPHD) press release states.

Randy Rhine, vice president of enrollment management and student services, is the official contact for CSC.

“If anyone contacts you with questions about this issue, please direct them to Rhine, at 432-6231 or PPHD at 262-2217 or 855-227-2217,” Park’s e-mail states.

A CSC junior who was called to be tested, spoke with The Eagle Wednesday on condition of anonymity.

“They made the shot sound more scary than it actually was,” the student said.

At the time The Eagle went to press Wednesday, the college had not released any report of further infection.