Notice

August 26, 2026

Notification: Tuberculosis (TB) Case Identified in the Community

The Waco-McLennan County Public Health District has notified Baylor University about an active case of tuberculosis (TB) identified in the greater community. The impacted individual has not been on the Waco campus for several weeks and is currently positively responding to treatment.

Be assured there is no ongoing risk of exposure to the Baylor community, according to Waco Public Health officials.

Baylor is required, however, to inform students, faculty and staff about this notification. We also have included parents in this communication as a demonstration of our commitment to openness and transparency, and most importantly, the safety of our campus community.

Baylor Health Services has a strong partnership with Waco-McLennan County Public Health and is following the organization’s established public health protocols, supporting notification and testing and ensuring that students, faculty, staff and parents have accurate information, as we are made aware.

HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

Notification and Testing

Baylor Health Services is working closely with Waco Public Health to identify and sequentially notify individuals who may have had significant exposure to the individual and should get tested.

Any notifications to members of the campus community who may have been directly exposed will be sent from Baylor Health Services to the person’s Baylor email address within the next 14 days at the direction of Waco Public Health. The email will include a link to Health Services’ secure Health Portal.
If you are NOT contacted by public health officials, you do not need to test based solely on this community case. There is nothing you will need to do.
If you do receive a notification from Baylor Health Services, testing will be available for identified close contacts at no cost on Monday, Sept. 14, and Wednesday, Sept. 23, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. through the Baylor Health Center located on the second floor of the McLane Student Life Center. Close contacts will be able to log in to the Health Portal on the Health Services website to schedule an appointment.
Testing also will be available weekdays by appointment at the Waco-McLennan County Public Health District, 225 W. Waco Drive, 254-750-5496.

What is Tuberculosis? And what is it not?

Tuberculosis (TB) is a bacterial infection that is typically spread through the air when an infected person coughs or speaks, for example.
People with active TB disease are most likely to spread TB germs to people they spend significant prolonged time with every day.
TB differs from COVID-19 and other common viruses (like flu or RSV) that spread quickly through brief, casual contact over minutes or hours.
There are medications available to effectively treat and prevent active TB.

Additional information about TB is available on the CDC website as well as Waco Public Health’s TB information page.

Your Personal Health

We understand that a report of tuberculosis is concerning, but we want to assure you that the risk to campus remains very low. Tuberculosis is not spread through casual contact, and individuals who may have had significant exposure are being contacted directly and offered free testing. Again, if you have not been contacted by public health officials, you do not need a test based solely on this community case.

We remain committed to keeping our campus and parents informed and safeguarding the health and well-being of our students, faculty and staff. We encourage everyone to continue to practice good personal hygiene and stay home if you feel sick.

Call Center Information

To help answer any questions or concerns from the Baylor Family, the University has established a Call Center.

The Call Center’s toll-free phone number is 855-213-1666.
The Call Center will be open tonight (Wednesday, Aug. 26) until 9 p.m. CT.
Beginning Thursday, Aug. 27, the Call Center will be operational from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. CT Monday-Friday.

Information and updates, including Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), are available at www.baylor.edu/notice. Should circumstances change or additional actions become necessary, the University will provide timely updates through official University channels.

Sincerely,

Sharra Hynes, Ph.D.
Vice President for Student Life

Burritt W. Hess, M.D.
Medical Director, Baylor Health Services

*A note about Safety Notifications: A Baylor safety notification may be issued when an incident or crime has occurred and may impact members of the community, but an emergency notification or timely warning is not required. These notifications are issued in accordance with The Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Act. To learn more about Emergency Notification, Timely Warnings and Safety Notifications, please review the 2025 Annual Fire and Safety Security Report (beginning on p. 36).

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Exposure and Risk

1. What is the risk to the Baylor community?

There is no ongoing risk of exposure to the Baylor community, according to Waco Public Health officials.
Unlike COVID or the flu, TB is not easily spread through casual contact. It typically requires prolonged, close exposure to someone with active TB disease.
The risk to campus remains very low.

2. How will a student, faculty or staff member know if they were exposed?

In cases like this, public health officials directly contact individuals identified as close contacts. If you are notified as a close contact, this does not automatically mean you have Tuberculosis. It means public health officials are taking appropriate precautions and want to ensure your health and safety.
At the direction of Waco Public Health, notifications to close contacts will come from the Baylor Health Service address within the next 14 days (from Aug. 26) to the individual’s Baylor email address. The email notification will include a link to Health Services’ secure Health Portal.

3. What happens next?

If you do receive a notification from Baylor Health Services, testing will be available for identified close contacts at no cost on Monday, Sept. 14, and Wednesday, Sept. 23, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. through the Baylor Health Center located on the second floor of the McLane Student Life Center. Close contacts will be able to log in to the Health Portal on the Health Services website to schedule an appointment.
Testing also will be available at the Waco-McLennan County Public Health District, 225 W. Waco Drive, 254-750-5450.

4. Even if I haven’t received any notification, should I get tested for TB anyway?

If you ARE NOT contacted by public health officials, you do not need to test based solely on this community case. There is nothing you will need to do.
Testing is generally only recommended for those identified by public health officials as having a potential exposure or who are experiencing symptoms.

5. Is it safe for my student to attend classes, live in residence halls, and participate in campus activities?

Yes. There are no changes to normal campus operations. The risk to campus remains very low. It is safe for students to attend classes, live in residence halls, and participate in campus activities.

Understanding TB

6. What exactly is tuberculosis?

TB is a bacterial disease that most commonly affects the lungs and is treatable with medication.

7. How does TB spread?

TB is spread through the air when a person with infectious TB disease coughs or speaks, for example.
TB differs from COVID-19 and other common viruses (like flu or RSV) that spread quickly through brief, casual contact over minutes or hours.
TB is not spread by casual contact such as touching surfaces, sharing food, hugging or using the same restroom.

8. How contagious is TB?

TB generally requires prolonged, close contact for transmission and is much less easily spread than many common respiratory viruses, such as the flu or COVID-19.

9. What are the symptoms of active TB disease?

Persistent cough lasting more than three weeks
Fever
Night sweats
Weight loss
Fatigue
Chest pain
Coughing up blood or mucus

Testing and Treatment

10. If I am identified as a close contact and need testing, will I have to pay for this?

No, testing at the Baylor Health Center is available at no cost.

11. How do students, faculty or staff who have been notified as a close contact make an appointment for testing?

If you receive a notification from Baylor Health Services, testing will be available for identified close contacts at no cost on Monday, Sept. 14, and Wednesday, Sept. 23, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. through the Baylor Health Center located on the second floor of the McLane Student Life Center.
Close contacts will be able to log in to the Health Portal on the Health Services website to schedule an appointment.
Testing also will be available at the Waco-McLennan County Public Health District, 225 W. Waco Drive.

12. How does testing work?

Health Center staff will conduct a screening assessment and then take a blood sample for testing.

13. What happens if a TB test is positive?

A positive test does not necessarily mean active TB disease.
If someone tests positive, medical providers will conduct additional evaluations, often including a chest X-ray, to determine whether the individual has latent TB infection or active TB disease.

14. What is latent TB infection?

Latent TB means the bacteria are present in the body, but the person has no symptoms and cannot spread TB to others.

15. Can TB be treated?

Yes. TB is both treatable and curable with appropriate medical care.

16. Will a student with TB have to leave campus?

Individuals with infectious TB disease should follow medical guidance and public health requirements until they are no longer contagious.
Individuals with latent TB infection can generally continue normal activities.

Baylor's Response

17. Why notify the Baylor community if the risk is low?

Baylor is committed to openness and transparency and most importantly, the safety of our campus community. We want students, faculty, staff and their families to have accurate information about public health issues affecting the community.
Baylor Health Services has a strong partnership with Waco-McLennan County Public Health and is following the organization’s established public health protocols, including supporting notification and testing efforts.

Residence Halls and Student Life

18. My student lives in a residence hall. Should I be concerned?

Unless an individual is identified by public health officials as a close contact, there is no indication they face elevated risk simply because they live on campus.

19. Will residence halls be disinfected?

Because TB is airborne and not spread through surfaces, public health’s focus is on identifying and evaluating close contacts.

20. Will students be required to wear masks or undergo mass testing?

No. Public health officials have not recommended community-wide masking or testing related to this case.
Only individuals who have received notification from Baylor Health Services that they are a close contact should get tested.

21. What should students do right now?

Continue normal activities.
Monitor for symptoms if concerned.
Seek medical evaluation if symptoms develop.
Follow any instructions provided by public health officials and Baylor Health Services.