NJ student diagnosed with tuberculosis; contacts being screened

A high school student in Woodbridge Township, New Jersey, has tested positive for tuberculosis. The principal of Colonia High School, Christopher Chiera, informed the school community about the situation in a letter dated March 14. The student is currently receiving treatment and is reported to be doing well. School officials are cooperating with the Middlesex County Office of Health Services. They are identifying students and staff who may have been in close contact with the infected student. Those identified will be screened for tuberculosis, a serious bacterial illness that can be deadly if untreated. This case occurs during a time when tuberculosis cases have been increasing in New Jersey and across the United States since 2020. In 2023, New Jersey reported a rise in cases from 289 in 2022 to 343, marking an 18.7% increase, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The state’s rate of tuberculosis is higher than the national average, with about 3.7 cases per 100,000 people. Neighboring New York City has an even higher rate at 8.3 cases per 100,000. Tuberculosis primarily affects the lungs but can also harm other body parts. The bacteria spread through the air, mainly when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or spits.