NO new cases of tuberculosis have been reported since a Bolton Institute student was diagnosed with the disease last month.

In mid-December the Bolton Evening News reported that a male student at the Institute had been treated at the Royal Bolton Hospital, and was making a full recovery from the potentially fatal illness.

As a precaution 18 close contacts of the student were screened for tuberculosis even though health chiefs said that the risk of other people being infected was low and that most strains of TB could be easily treated with antibiotics.

Since the case came to light no cases related to the student's illness have been identified.

A Bolton Primary Care Trust spokesman said that the end of year total number for tuberculosis cases in Bolton was 67. She added that from the start of 2003, there had been two isolated cases reported - none of which were related to the student.

The disease can strike any part of the body, but it is more likely to be fatal in the lungs. It builds up slowly with a persistent cough, night sweats and weight loss.

In 1992, Bolton was one of the worst areas in the country for the disease, but it is now among the best due to immunisation programmes and early detection and treatment.