Photomicrograph of a sputum sample containing Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Photo: Centers for Disease Control and PHIL
An active case of tuberculosis at the largest high school of the Northern Marianas has prompted health providers to test students and teachers to find out if others are infected.
The Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation and the Division of Public Health Services officials said testing on students and staff was carried out at Marianas High School in Saipan last week.
State epidemiologist Dr Paul White confirmed that there's an active case of tuberculosis in the school and that the individual is undergoing treatment and taking antibiotics.
As a entirely precautionary measure, Dr White says they identified the close contacts the individual would have had and screened them for TB.
In the CNMI, there are about 20 cases.
In 2015, the prevalence rate of TB was brought down to 30 cases a year from a rate of 100 new cases a year a decade ago.