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Tuberculosis Case Reported On UMBC Campus

BALTIMORE COUNTY, Md. (WJZ) -- For the second time this year a health scare is reported at the University of Maryland Baltimore County. School leaders are once again warning students about tuberculosis on campus.

Monique Griego has the latest.

This time there's a confirmed case on campus, but school leaders haven't said whether it's a student or staff member.

The campus is on alert after a confirmed case of tuberculosis is reported at the University of Maryland Baltimore County.

"It is scary," one student said.

"It's something that should worry us as a student body because it's something contagious that needs to be contained," another student said.

The university sent a letter to students letting them know someone on campus had been diagnosed but did not say whether it was a student or staff member.

Back in February the university issued a similar warning about a possible case.

"Tuberculosis is prevalent and it's in the community and it wouldn't surprise me that a case would show up," said Dr. Marc Leavey.

Leavey says the main symptom of TB is a bad cough.

"You can be coughing up blood which is another part of the problem, fever, chills which are not otherwise explained," he said.

Tuberculosis is an airborne disease that affects the lungs and if left untreated can be fatal.

Health leaders are also notifying people who may have had contact with the infected person so they can be tested.

But they say the risk is very low for the general campus community.

"It's not as easy to pick up as the average cold, but it is certainly communicable," Leavey said.

Leavey says once detected, TB is easily treated.

While most people make a full recovery, students were glad the university put out a warning.

"It's a good thing to notify people you know," a student said.

University leaders did not know how the reported case contracted the disease.

UMBC worked with the Baltimore County Department of Health to isolate and treat the infected person.

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