Three active tuberculosis cases tied to Archbishop Riordan High School in San Francisco’s Westwood Park neighborhood have prompted a full-court press from campus leaders and city health officials, who are now testing the entire school community and tightening health protocols.
Since the first case was identified in November, the school has rolled out mandatory TB testing for all students and staff, stepped up symptom monitoring and brought back indoor masking while contact tracing continues. Families have been kept in the loop through town halls and ongoing email updates as public health teams track down possible exposures.
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the San Francisco Department of Public Health has confirmed three active tuberculosis cases connected to Archbishop Riordan since November. Officials have not said whether the individuals are students, teachers or staff. The department and school leadership have launched a coordinated screening and contact-tracing effort that includes required testing for everyone on campus. Public health officials told the Chronicle that “the health and safety of the school community remain our top priority.”
City Data Shows TB Cases Rising
Citywide numbers show tuberculosis is still very much on the radar in San Francisco. Per the city’s TB bulletin, there were 91 active cases in 2024, a level public health officials say calls for sustained prevention and treatment work. The San Francisco Department of Public Health’s 2024 report notes that most people with TB in the city were non–U.S.-born residents, the median age was 64 and drug resistance remained relatively uncommon. Health experts say that pattern points to the need for targeted screening and prompt treatment to keep infections from spreading.
School Actions And Communications
School officials say they are working in lockstep with the health department, holding town halls and sending regular updates to outline testing schedules and next steps. The school’s website lists recent letters to families and a "Health Updates" section for parents, and administrators say they are following public health guidance, according to Archbishop Riordan High School. School leaders have not issued a separate statement beyond what public health officials have already released.
How TB Spreads And What To Watch For
Public health officials stress that tuberculosis typically spreads after prolonged, close contact with someone who has active disease in the lungs, and that quick or casual encounters rarely lead to infection. Symptoms to watch include a persistent cough, fever and weight loss. Some people carry latent TB for months or years without any symptoms and are not contagious, though that latent infection can turn into active disease if it goes untreated. Both latent and active TB can be treated with medication, public health officials told the San Francisco Chronicle.
Parents, students and staff are being urged to follow testing instructions from the school and the health department and to contact a medical provider if they develop symptoms consistent with TB. Officials say they will continue updating the community as screening and contact tracing move forward.
