50 TB patients can return to school: Officials

Fifty students who received treatment after a tuberculosis outbreak at a middle school in Taojiang county, Central China's Hunan province,are recovered and fit for school, while the remaining 22 are still under observation, Taojiang authorities said in a statement released on Sunday.

The TB outbreak was first confirmed on Thursday by Taojiang county, which said the outbreak occurred at Taojiang No 4 Middle School on Aug 19.

The school has 2,908 students and 188 faculty and staff.

By Thursday, 72 students from the school were receiving treatment or put under healthcare management, according to a statement released by the Hunan Provincial Health and Family Planning Commission.

Among the 72 students, 29 had been diagnosed with tuberculosis in the outbreak, five other students were suspected of infection, and another 38 students were taking medication for disease prevention.

Local authorities for discipline inspection are investigating whether there is a dereliction of duty or misconduct of civil servants.

Since Aug 19, 14 groups of about 70 officials and experts from the provincial and municipal health and education commissions arrived in Taojiang to guide the handling of the outbreak, Wang Jianguo, deputy head of Taojiang, said in the release.

Wang said staff from the county health bureau will clean and sanitize classroom buildings, dormitories and school canteens every day.

The school made study plans for those contagious students who are unable to attend school. The school also provided computers and installed network for the students who are receiving domestic therapy so that they can attend lectures online.

He said the local government will pay for the part of the treatment cost that is not covered by health insurance. The government had already paid more than 170,000 yuan ($25,600) for the first batch of 22 sick students.

The school will exempt tuition and housing fees for students who return to school this year, and students who suspend schooling due to the disease can continue their study next year for free, he added.

zhangyi1@chinadaily.com.cn