LUBBOCK, TX (KCBD) -
Concerned
Convergys employees notified KCBD NewsChannel 11 that employees who tested
positive for TB were sent back to work.
After
one case of tuberculosis was confirmed at the local call center earlier this
month, the Texas State Health Department stepped in to provide free, voluntary
testing for employees.
According
to the Health Department, there is still only one confirmed case of
tuberculosis being investigated from a Convergys employee in Lubbock.
Spokesman for the Texas Department of State Health
Services Chris Van Deusen said they expect to see positive tests, since
employees were exposed to the disease; however, 90% of the time a positive test
result means someone has a "latent" tuberculosis infection. If proven to
not be active, this means the disease cannot spread and they can go back to work
immediately. They are still prescribed antibiotics and must stay on them
for the course of 9 months.
To ensure the disease is not active after testing positive, a
chest x-ray is taken. If it is, liquid would be present in the lungs and
a combination of antibiotics would be prescribed for several weeks. They
would have be tested again and show that the disease is no longer active in
order to go back to work.
Convergys
spokeswoman Amy Williams says employees have been given proper education
through the Health Department about tuberculosis. Free, voluntary on-site
testing ends today.
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