More than 100 children and staff tested after tuberculosis exposure at Sydney childcare centre

More than 100 children are being screened for tuberculosis (TB) after a childcare centre in Sydney’s east was unknowingly exposed to the infectious disease.

The South Eastern Sydney Local Health District (SESLHD) confirmed that 34 staff and 104 children from Little Feet Early Learning and Childcare in Waverley were undergoing screening after a person diagnosed with TB was found to have attended the centre.

Parents were reportedly notified by email on Friday that their children may have been exposed, with the individual believed to have spent several days a week there over a six-month period.

“It is important to note there is no ongoing risk to children and staff at the centre,” a SESLHD spokesperson said.

“Unlike other bacterial infections, TB is not readily spread from person to person and transmission usually occurs only after prolonged contact with a person who is infectious at the time.”

As a precaution, all children and staff are undergoing a two-stage screening process that will be completed in mid-November to confirm if there has been any spread of the disease. Health authorities stressed the risk was low.

Children are being tested with a tuberculin skin test, a small injection into the forearm similar to an allergy test, which will be repeated after eight to 12 weeks to identify any recent infections. Children under five are also being offered preventive antibiotics while their testing is under way.

“If anyone receives a positive test, a chest X-ray and specialist medical review will be arranged,” the spokesperson said.

Specialist TB staff have been speaking directly with families to provide information, arrange assessments, and answer questions.

NSW Health said the risk of infection was considered low, noting that in 90 per cent of cases, TB infection does not progress to illness, and early intervention with antibiotics can prevent the disease from developing.

Medical follow-up and treatment for TB are provided free of charge in NSW.

Symptoms of TB may include a cough lasting more than three weeks, bloodstained sputum, fevers, night sweats, unexplained weight loss, fatigue, loss of appetite, or pain and swelling in the affected area.

While TB is common worldwide, NSW maintains one of the lowest rates globally and has a long history of successfully containing and treating the condition.