Indio High School honored for tuberculosis testing

As part of World TB Day, the Riverside County Department of Public Health and Supervisor John Benoit gathered in Moreno Valley to honor Indio High School staff and the Desert Sands Unified School District for their role in getting the entire campus tested quickly for tuberculosis.

They tested students and staff the day before last Christmas break, after a student tested positive for active TB.

With additional tests, the health department discovered two more Indio students tested positive for TB, for a total of three. They are all back at school as they continue treatment and are expected to make a full recovery.

“It was very stressful for parents and the community. As a parent myself, I was concerned,” said Principal Rudy Ramirez. “We did it because the county wanted us to and it was the right thing to do.”

“They made sure the school was open and staff was available to help us. They really met the challenge,” said Barabara Cole, Director of Disease Control for the county.

Cole said numbers in east Riverside County decreased from 18 in 2012 to 6 cases last year. World TB Day reminds us we need to work together to eliminate the disease.

“It’s an opportunity to celebrate successes, recognize community partners, but also highlight there’s still more work to be done,” said Cole.