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The Eaton Square school where seven children were found to have an ‘active infection’ |
Anger of parents ‘kept in dark’ over kindergarten TB outbreak
Results of screening tests awaited after 33 children are hit by tuberculosis
PARENTS of children at a private nursery hit by a tuberculosis outbreak say they are having sleepless nights waiting for the results of screening tests.
Health chiefs insist they have done everything possible for children at the Knightsbridge Kindergarten in Eaton Square.
But angry parents said they were unfairly kept in the dark while tests were made on a member of staff infected with the lung disease.
Staff and pupils were screened this week after it was confirmed that an adult working at the nursery had been diagnosed with TB.
Tests revealed seven children carrying an active infection. They must now complete a six-month antibiotics course. Another 26 have the bacteria lying dormant in their bodies and will take the medication for three months. A second member of staff is also being treated for active TB.
Parents told the West End Extra on Wednesday they had not been informed about the outbreak when it first occurred. One furious mother, who did not want to be named, said: “People were left coughing, teachers were not tested and parents were not told a thing.”
Another mum, who also wanted to remain anonymous and whose three-year-old daughter had just had her screening, said: “I am absolutely devastated. We only just pulled our little girl out of another nursery because this one seemed much nicer. We were not told about the TB incident when we applied.
“What breaks my heart is that I couldn’t protect her. I won’t be able to sleep until the results come out next week.”
A Health Protection Agency spokeswoman said the testing process took so long because of the large number of people infected. She added: “When the first person got diagnosed in July, we had to stick to a six-week period before we were even allowed to start the screenings. Before we could start phoning parents and panic everybody we had to carry out risk assessment.”
The first adult found to have contracted the infection had suffered with symptoms for eight months before finally being diagnosed in July.
The HPA said clues like a cough, weight loss and night sweats can be easily confused with other diseases.
The HPA spokeswoman added: “We sent out letters, the first one at the beginning of term, and held a parents’ meeting. We did everything we could, and so did the school.”
Beverly Delfgou, owner of the Knightsbridge Kindergarten, said: “Of course, it was a shock. Some parents have taken out their kids until the end of term. In July, many kids left the nursery to go on to school and even we haven’t been told the affected people’s names. We were instructed to follow HPA guidelines.” |
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