NORTH WINDHAM - An active case of tuberculosis has been confirmed at the C.H. Barrows STEM Academy in North Windham and the individual is being treated, Windham Public Schools announced on the school’s website.
The school at 141 Tuckie Road reportedly sent a letter home with all students Wednesday following the confirmation of the disease.
“The affected individual is being treated at this time and there is no risk of additional exposure to any students or staff at this time,” Windham Public Schools said in the letter. “It usually takes at least eight hours of close contact in a small room for TB transmission to occur and the air space is only contagious when the untreated patient is actually present. A healthy person cannot contract TB from casual exposure such as passing in a hall or sitting in a cafeteria for an hour.”
The full letter, which the school published on their website, recommends all students and faculty be tested if they had exposure with the individual in a classroom or during an after-school activity.
Families of students identified as being exposed to the individual will be contacted in writing next week, the school said.
Individuals can choose to have their preferred doctor conduct testing for TB or attend a clinic on May 28 or May 29 at the academy during school hours.
The school said they are taking the matter seriously and provided a fact sheet on TB from the Center for Disease Control and the Department of Public Health for parents.
Parents are encouraged to contact the TB Control Program at (860) 509-7722 or a school nurse with further questions.
The DPH and local health district officials are directing the school district in taking the appropriate steps to ensure students and staff are safe, the academy said on their website. 
Representatives from the aforementioned will host a Health School Community Information Forum on 6 p.m. May 23 and all families seeking additional information are encouraged to attend.
Tuberculosis is caused by the Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria which infects the lungs and can infect other organs.
In 2018, a total of 9,029 new tuberculosis cases were reported in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the U.S. incidence was 2.8 cases per 100,000 persons.