HOUSTON – The student at a Houston Independent School District’s Bonham Elementary School has died after testing positive for Meningococcal Disease.
In an email sent to KPRC 2, the Houston Health Department confirmed that the child died from the disease last week. They said they couldn’t provide further details, including the student’s identity, due to HIPAA privacy rules.
The district said the school sent notifications to families and information to staff and students who may have been in close contact with the confirmed case.
Earlier this week, HISD shared this statement about the case:
HISD can confirm a single positive case of Meningococcal Disease at Bonham Elementary School.
The District is working in collaboration with the Houston Health Department to appropriately address this development and prioritize the safety of other students and families. The school sent notifications to families and information to staff and students who may have been in close contact with the confirmed case.
The District Health and Medical team will continue to work closely with school staff to provide additional information for families who may have questions.
MORE INFORMATION ABOUT MENINGOCOCCAL DISEASE:
According to the CDC, The two most common types of meningococcal infections are meningitis and bloodstream infections.
“With meningococcal meningitis, the bacteria infect the lining of the brain and spinal cord and cause swelling. With a meningococcal bloodstream infection, the bacteria enter the blood and damage the walls of the blood vessels. This causes bleeding in the skin and organs,” the CDC says.
Symptoms of Meningococcal meningitis can include:
- Fever
- Headache
- Stiff neck
- Altered mental status (confusion)
- Nausea
- Photophobia (eyes being more sensitive to light)
- Vomiting
While meningococcal bacteria isn’t as contagious as bacteria that spreads the common cold or flu, the CDC says it can be spread through sharing respiratory and throat secretions.