URGENT UPDATE: A confirmed third case of tuberculosis (TB) has forced Archbishop Riordan High School in San Francisco to cancel all in-person classes starting February 9. The school will remain closed next week as health officials scramble to contain the alarming outbreak.
Classes will transition to a hybrid model from February 9-20, with teachers posting assignments online. Students who test negative for TB will be allowed back on campus for in-person learning. As a precaution, numerous sporting events have also been canceled.
“I think it’s a really good decision to make,” said freshman Emma O’Neill. “We’re having online school for like a week, so everyone can get their tests.” The school’s leadership is actively collaborating with the city’s public health department to implement contact tracing, aiming to test all students and staff by February 13.
The situation is critical as the school has already identified 50 cases of latent TB infection alongside the three active cases. Students are expressing concern but also confidence in the school’s response. “I know the school has been keeping everyone informed,” stated senior Ashling Greene.
The outbreak’s origins trace back to the first reported case in November, but the holiday break may have contributed to the spread of the disease. “TB can take a long time to incubate, from two to ten weeks,” explained Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, an infectious disease expert at UCSF. He noted that while there are around 100 cases of TB each year in San Francisco, the close quarters of a school setting can facilitate its transmission more readily than other environments.
Public health officials have announced they will reassess testing results every eight weeks until the outbreak is officially declared over. As the situation develops, the community remains on high alert, with many looking to the school for updates on safety measures and next steps.
Stay tuned for more updates as this situation unfolds.
