Focus on schools at centre of TB outbreaks

Dozens of schoolchildren, their teachers and families at two primary and secondary schools are being tested for TB after separate outbreaks of the life-threatening condition.

Children and staff at an unnamed secondary school in Loughrea, Co Galway, were handed formal HSE letters yesterday evening warning they need to be immediately screened for the serious illness.

The move came after a 16-year-old pupil at the facility was last week diagnosed with an extremely aggressive drug resistant form of TB, which unlike normal strains has mutated to effectively outgun existing medications.