A Welsh student has died after contracting Tuberculosis

Three others have also been diagnosed with the infection

tuberculosis wales welsh universities

Three people have been diagnosed with tuberculosis (TB) in Wales following the death of a student from University of Wales Trinity Saint David.

A multi-agency outbreak control team has been working with Trinity St David to establish the contacts of the three individuals, and to arrange TB screening.

Public Health Wales have stated that the close contacts of the deceased student have been diagnosed with active TB and are now receiving appropriate treatment.

Although TB is a potentially serious condition, it can be treated by a combination of antibacterial medications for a period of six to 12 months.

Symptoms of active TB include; a persistent cough that lasts more than three weeks and usually brings up phlegm (which may be bloody), weight loss, night sweats, high temperature (fever), tiredness and fatigue, loss of appetite, and swellings in the neck.

The University of Wales St David Lampeter campus, where the student is located 73 miles from Cardiff, however it has not been stated where those affected reside during the holidays.

Dr Brendan Mason, Consultant in Communicable Disease Control for Public Health Wales, said:  “Following established outbreak control procedures, we have identified individuals who have had close contact with the deceased person.  These close contacts have been contacted and screened for TB, three of whom have been found to have active TB.

“Our investigations have shown that the three individuals with active TB are all closely linked to the person who sadly died in October 2021. TB is difficult to transmit. It requires close and prolonged contact with an infectious individual for a person to become infected. Therefore, the university community and local residents can be reassured that the risk to the general public is extremely low.

“However, we encourage everyone to be aware of the symptoms of TB.  If you have symptoms, we advise that you speak to your GP, who can provide you with the appropriate advice and refer you for TB screening if required.”

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