Today, on Oct. 16, a university-wide email was sent out to the NYU Abu Dhabi community, stating that a student has contracted an active case of tuberculosis.

Today, the university will contact students who have been in close contact with the patient such as suitemates and classmates, who will be required to go through the PPD skin test, which looks for antibodies for tuberculosis. The test will be free of charge, will be scheduled in the next week or two and students will receive results within 48 hours. Students who are not contacted need not worry; the risk of infection is incredibly low as the infected student was not showing any symptoms. If there are students who are not contacted by the university but want to be cautious and schedule testing, they can contact the Health and Wellness Center.

The student had abnormal results in the process of the health checks that occur as part of the visa process. The source of these results was confirmed as tuberculosis after further testing. The student is not going to attend classes while undergoing initial treatment, which can take up to a few weeks to complete. Once the preliminary stages of treatment are complete and the Health Authority of Abu Dhabi deems it safe for the student to travel on a plane, the student will return to their country of origin. The full treatment can take up to a few months. As far as the student’s education is concerned, Dean Farley stated that NYUAD will be committed to ensure academic progress of its student.

Tuberculosis is an infectious disease caused by the bacterium mycobacterium tuberculosis, and the disease generally affects the lungs. According to the World Health Organization, tuberculosis is preventable and curable. It is spread from person to person through airborne droplets through coughing and sneezing; however, the student in question is not showing either of these two symptoms. According to Ibrahim, there needs to be close, prolonged interaction between people before the disease is transmitted.

Ibrahim further noted that even if one has been exposed to tuberculosis, it does not mean that one is infectious. And according to the WHO, one-third of the world is exposed to tuberculosis or has latent tuberculosis, which means that they are not yet ill with the disease nor can they transmit the bacteria to other individuals.

As of right now, The Gazelle, NYUAD administration and the Student Government are committed to ensure the privacy and confidentiality of the student in question.