On Saturday Feb. 14, the Ithaca Journal reported that there have been six cases of Tuberculosis in Ithaca since September 2003 and that many of the cases involved people with ties to Cornell. However, administration at Gannett: Cornell University Health Services insists that there has only been one case of TB disease on campus this year, and most years there is at least one case.
“We are working with the Tompkins County Health Department on a follow up screening and testing for people who may have been exposed to this student — a fairly routine occurrence,” said Sharon Dittman, associate director of community relations for Gannett.
Sigrid Conners, director of patient services for the Tompkins County Health Department admitted she was misquoted by the Journal that many of the cases are tied to Cornell.
“Some might be related to Cornell, some are not,” Conners said about the six recent cases.
Conners and Gannett administration were adamant in stressing that six cases do not signify an “outbreak.”
“We have cases of TB that we respond to for case management purposes every year.