Lampeter student dies with TB

Public Health Wales has revealed that a student at Lampeter campus of The University of Wales Trinity St David (UWTSD) has died from tuberculosis (TB).

Public Health Wales, Hywel Dda University Health Board and the University of Wales Trinity St David are working together to identify close contacts of the deceased and offer them TB screening.

The health authority stressed that there is no link between this case and the ongoing outbreak of TB at Llwynhendy, Carmarthenshire.

Sion Lingard, Consultant in Health Protection for Public Health Wales, said: “A multi-agency Incident Management Team (IMT) has been convened to look into this case and any control measures that are needed.

“The risk to the general public remains very low, as TB is difficult to transmit. It requires close and prolonged contact with an infectious individual, such as living in the same household, for a person to become infected.

“We are in the process of identifying close contacts of the deceased to offer them TB screening by Hywel Dda University Health Board and providing advice to staff and students of the university.

“TB is curable with a full course of treatment.”

Work to identify close contacts is ongoing, so those that would benefit from TB screening will be contacted directly.

Anyone suffering from a combination of an unexplained prolonged cough (sometimes this may include coughing up blood), unexplained weight loss or night sweats should seek advice from their GP.

Public Health Wales said they would like to offer their condolences to the family and friends of the deceased.

It added that it won’t be possible to comment any further on this matter pending further investigations.

(Lead image: UWTSD)