Active Tuberculosis Case at Rainier Beach High School

SEATTLE — Public Health – Seattle & King County has confirmed a case of active tuberculosis involving an individual associated with Rainier Beach High School in Seattle.

As a precaution, health officials are advising that around 130 people linked to the school be screened for TB, based on their potential exposure to the diagnosed individual in indoor settings.

The school will reach out to those requiring evaluation, which will include a medical risk assessment and TB testing. Public Health is ensuring that all students, staff, and families are informed this week, regardless of their exposure level.

Public Health is collaborating with Rainier Beach High School to gauge the extent of any exposures and to provide support and guidance during the evaluation process for staff, students, and families.

Officials have stressed that TB is not easily transmitted. This infectious disease spreads through the air but is significantly less contagious than COVID-19, the flu, or a cold, typically needing prolonged and repeated exposure in confined spaces for infection to occur.

In households where one person has contagious TB, only about one in three close contacts typically become infected, according to Public Health.

The individual from the school who has active TB is currently undergoing treatment and is no longer deemed contagious. Most active TB cases are treatable with common antibiotics, and treatment usually lasts six to nine months.

There is also an important distinction between active TB disease and latent TB infection; those with latent TB cannot spread the infection and do not exhibit symptoms of the disease.

Public Health estimates that around 100,000 individuals in King County may have latent TB infection. Although these individuals are not contagious, there is a chance they could develop active TB later on and potentially infect others.

It’s estimated that about five percent of people with latent TB infection will go on to develop active TB within two years, with an additional five percent at risk throughout their lifetime. For those identified with latent TB infection linked to the school, Public Health is prepared to facilitate treatment to eliminate the TB bacteria and prevent future disease. Treatment for latent TB generally takes three to four months.

TB primarily affects the lungs but can also impact lymph nodes, bones, joints, and other areas. A person with active lung TB may spread the disease when they cough or sneeze.

In King County, there were 110 new TB cases reported in 2024, averaging about two cases diagnosed each week.

Public Health’s TB Control Program aims to ensure that individuals with active TB are diagnosed and treated while screening high-risk close contacts to thwart further infections.

Bev Redmond, SPS Chief of Staff, commented, “The individual associated with Rainier Beach who has active TB is receiving treatment and is no longer a risk to anyone at the school. SPS is collaborating closely with Public Health – Seattle & King County to ensure everyone has the necessary support and information. PHSKC is providing on-site TB testing for those identified as having close contact with the affected individual. Our priority is to care for and support the Rainier Beach community during this period, and we will keep the community informed as this process unfolds.”