One Active TB Case at Patchogue‑Medford High; Suffolk County Reports No Others

A person associated with Patchogue-Medford High School has been diagnosed with active tuberculosis and is receiving treatment, Suffolk County health officials say. The county’s public health team is conducting contact tracing and offering free testing to those who may have been exposed.

“No other people have been identified with active tuberculosis in the Patchogue‑Medford High School community since one person from within there tested positive two weeks ago, though the investigation is ongoing, a Suffolk County Department of Health Services’ spokeswoman said.” The department’s Bureau of Chest Diseases recently received a report that a person in the high school’s community was diagnosed with active tuberculosis, and its staff is in contact with the school's administration to identify people who may have had "close and prolonged contact" with the person, according to the spokeswoman.

District officials informed parents, guardians, and staff in a letter sent on Jan. 23 that someone in the community contracted the "highly‑contagious bacterial infection," and that person was receiving treatment. County staff say they are offering free testing to those "potentially exposed, she said." Officials have not released the infected person’s name or role in the school community, citing privacy protections.

The immediate public-health goal is to identify and test any close contacts to prevent further spread. Contact tracing is standard for contagious illnesses, and the Suffolk County Department of Health Services’ Bureau of Chest Diseases is leading the effort within Medford and the Patchogue‑Medford School District. At this stage, no additional active TB cases have been reported in the school community, but public-health investigators describe the work as ongoing.

For families and staff, the two most tangible developments so far are the Jan. 23 notification from the district and the county’s offer of free testing for people identified as contacts. The absence of names, test counts, and precise timing of the initial positive test leaves gaps that health officials are expected to fill as the investigation continues. Those gaps affect how quickly households and the school can make informed decisions about testing, treatment and any needed isolation.

TB remains a serious but treatable infectious disease; early detection and treatment protect both individuals and the wider community. Offering testing at no cost helps reduce access barriers that often fall heaviest on lower-income and underserved residents, an equity concern county public-health programs routinely confront.

The Suffolk County Department of Health Services continues its investigation and is coordinating with Patchogue‑Medford High School administration. Parents, guardians and staff who received district notices should follow the county’s instructions for testing and stay alert for further communications from the school and the health department as officials complete contact tracing and release any additional guidance.