HAMPTON, Va. — A Hampton elementary school student has passed away following a bacterial meningitis infection, but school officials say the risk of transmission is "considered low".
Hampton City Schools say the student attended Asbury Elementary School, and died from streptococcal group A meningitis.
Asbury Principal Liz Franks sent out the following letter to families on Monday evening:
Dear Asbury Fox families,
It is with great sadness that we share with you that one of our students has passed from streptococcal group A meningitis.
Please know the parents and guardians of the affected classroom have been directly notified and counselors will be in place to support students and staff as needed. It is not expected that teachers share this information with other students outside of the individual’s class. However, if a student is upset or asks questions about this loss, we have asked our staff to talk individually with the student and send any student to the counselor as appropriate.
Parents/guardians who would like additional support for their child should contact our main office at 757-850-5075 between the hours of 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
As we shared with our families last week, the risk of transmission of streptococcal group A meningitis within a classroom is considered low. Casual contact (as in work and school) rarely spreads the bacteria. As we also shared last week, as a precautionary measure and to minimize the risk of spreading germs, we implemented additional cleaning and disinfectant measures to our entire school building to include using hospital-grade disinfectant.
Symptoms of meningitis may include sudden high fever, severe headaches, neck stiffness, nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light, and a rash. If you or your child has or does experience any of these symptoms, we strongly encourage you to seek prompt medical attention. Also, please inform the school nurse if your child has recently had strep throat, scarlet fever, or impetigo.
For your convenience, here is the link we provided last week that has additional information from the Virginia Department of Health on streptococcal (group A strep) - https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/epidemiology/epidemiology-fact-sheets/streptococcus-disease-group-a/
As always, thank you for your continuous support.
Meningitis is an inflammation of the fluid and membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord. It typically triggers signs and symptoms such as headache, fever, and a stiff neck, according to the Mayo Clinic.
The Mayo Clinic said most meningitis cases in the U.S. are caused by viral infection, but bacterial, parasitic, and fungal infections can also occur.