[ad_1]
Three elementary schools and a college / high school in South Wyoming were not in session Thursday as a result of a recent case of bacterial meningitis.
The closure is for elementary schools in Hanna, Elk Mountain and Medicine Bow, as well as Hanna-Elk Mountain-Medicine Bow College / High School in Hanna. Carbon County School District No. 2 indicates that schools are closed to allow cleaning of buildings.
Bacterial meningitis is an infection of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord. It can be life threatening. It is preventable by a vaccine, although disease control and prevention centers have specific guidelines for those who should or should not receive it.
District Superintendent Jim Copeland told K2 Radio News Thursday that the infection had been confirmed in a grade four student at Hanna Elementary School, and that parents of schoolchildren affected had been informed by e-mail on Wednesday after confirmation of the diagnosis.
"We have also reported the problem to health officials," said Copeland during a phone interview. He added that his son had been taken away in vital flight for medical treatment, without knowing the destination.
Copeland added that district nurses had indicated that bacterial meningitis was more likely to respond to antibiotics, and they hoped that the student would recover.
Copeland explained that the student's family thought his child had the flu. The student reportedly had flu-like symptoms and the disease was spreading in the area.
This student had older siblings in high school and high school. District officials have decided to close the school for cleaning as well. The other schools are connected by bus.
"We will not be meeting tomorrow anyway, so this will give us the weekend to disinfect everything," Copeland said.
This story was corrected to reflect the fact that the district e-mail notification was sent to the parents of children in the four affected schools, not to the parents of the district.
[ad_2]
Source link