A Christchurch high school student admitted to hospital with meningococcal meningitis had been at a rugby tournament in Dunedin.
Shirley Boys’ High School headmaster Tim Grocott told chrislynchmedia.com the student was “alert, talking and fine”.
He said Public Health Service staff have either met with close contacts to the case or will be in contact with them to discuss their health.
“The school is following the protocols from the Public Health Service,” Grocott told chrislynchmedia.com.
“The student is well, and his condition is improving, and our thoughts are with the student and his family as he recovers from the infection.”
The student had been at a rugby tournament in Dunedin before returning to school, the New Zealand Herald reported.
Dr Annabel Begg medical officer for the National Public Health Service told the Herald all close contacts to the case had been identified and offered antibiotics.
“There is very little risk of meningococcal disease to others, as the infection is only passed on when people have close or prolonged contact,” Begg said.
In an email to parents, Grocott said: “The risk of someone else who attends Shirley Boys’ High School developing the disease is very small, especially as the student’s symptoms only emerged this week and the student has not attended school since Friday 22 August.”
Meningococcal meningitis is a severe and potentially deadly bacterial infection of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord, caused by the bacterium Neisseria meningitidis.
Symptoms include fever, headache, and a stiff neck, often appearing quickly and mimicking the flu in its early stages. It can lead to rapid deterioration and requires urgent hospital treatment with antibiotics.
The National Public Health Service has provided antibiotic protection to close contacts of the student or anyone who may have been exposed, chrislynchmedia.com reported.
Said Grocott: “Although further cases of meningococcal disease are unlikely, if your child does develop the symptoms described in the linked website information below, you should take them to your doctor urgently as meningococcal disease can progress rapidly.”
What is meningococcal meningitis?
Meningococcal meningitis is a form of meningococcal disease.
How does it spread?
The bacteria spread through close contact with saliva and mucus from an infected person.
This can include intimate kissing, coughing, or sneezing.
It spreads easily in places where people live in close quarters, such as university dorms.
What are the symptoms?
Symptoms of meningococcal meningitis can appear suddenly and worsen rapidly. Look for:
Sudden fever and headache
Sensitivity to light (photophobia)
Mental status changes or confusion
Lethargy, sleepiness, or being hard to wake
A rash of tiny red or purple spots that looks like bruises (petechiae) or flat, discolored patches (purpura)
– Allied Media