Columbus County Health Department testing hundreds at East Columbus HS following positive tuberculosis case

LAKE WACCAMAW, NC (WWAY) — The Columbus County Health Department will be testing more than 200 people, which includes students and staff, who may have come in contact with a person who tested positive for tuberculosis.

The Health Department was first notified about the case at East Columbus High School on December 21st.

The person who tested positive has not been back at the school since then.

Health director Kim Smith said its important to remember that tuberculosis is still around and can be spread.

“I think a lot of people think that tuberculosis is like polio,” Smith said. “It’s disappeared, its been eradicated. No, it has not. In the state of North Carolina, there’s anywhere from 200 to 220 cases throughout the whole state.”

Smith said there are certain symptoms to look for if you think you have TB.

“Some may say they have bronchitis and they treat them for bronchitis but it continues on. And then in somebody’s head, it clicks where they’ve lost weight, they’ve had this cough and they ask them about night sweats. And those are your three classic signs of TB.”

Because there hasn’t been much talk about TB, it appears many people have forgotten about the dangers.

“I’ve heard about it, but not really, not really know what it totally causes,” Mildred Price said. “I mean, I think it is a concern, and its a possibility they do need to be concerned about it and hopefully I might be more concerned.”

Smith said testing will take place on January 23rd due to the need to get so many supplies to cover all of the tests that need to be done.

The Columbia County Health Department and Columbia County Schools released a joint statement that reads — “no one is at immediate risk of health problems related to this case and there is no further risk of exposure.”

Columbus County Schools said because of that, they will not be limiting any activities at East Columbus High School.