Health emergency after TB diagnosis

A public health emergency is under way after a student was diagnosed with drug-resistant TB, an extremely aggressive form of the disease which has mutated to effectively outgun existing treatments.

The Irish Examiner understands the case involves a 16-year-old in Galway who was diagnosed with the condition last week. The teenager, who cannot be identified due to age, was brought to hospital last Thursday. The student’s classmates, their families, and teachers at his school will be told they need to be screened for the extremely virulent condition by official letters today.

In a statement, the HSE West confirmed a student was being treated for a form of TB, but declined to clarify whether it was a drug-resistant strain due to patient confidentiality. Separate sources have confirmed this is the case.