Meningitis outbreak at Wirral grammar school

Nov 5 2007

breaking news

AT LEAST 500 sixth-form pupils at a Wirral grammar school are to be given anti-meningitis drugs after two students contracted an illness can lead to the disease.

The two pupils, a 16-year-old girl and a 17-year-old boy, were admitted to hospital last Friday. Both are pupils at Calday Grange Grammar School and both are said to be improving.

Their close family contacts were given antibiotics over the weekend.

The school will today send letters home to parents of sixth form students to advise them of the situation and to recommend that they remain vigilant for the signs and symptoms of meningococcal disease.

Dr. Hilary Thurston, Consultant in Communicable Disease Control with the Health Protection Agency’s Cheshire and Merseyside Health Protection Unit, said: “It is comparatively unusual to have two cases at the same time in the same school, so to be absolutely safe we are giving antibiotics to all fellow sixth form pupils and staff.

“However, we are able to reassure pupils, staff and parents that this really is a precautionary measure, to be safe. We tend to see more meningococcal cases over the winter months and we would strongly advise everyone to be aware of the signs and symptoms to look out for.”

No comment has been made by the school yet.

Symptoms to look out for include:

A rash that doesn’t fade when pressed with a glass

Sudden onset of high fever

Severe and worsening headache

Stiff neck

Vomiting

Joint and muscle pain

Dislike of bright lights

Very cold hands and feet

Drowsiness that can deteriorate into a coma.

Meningococcal infection is a serious illness that can cause meningitis (inflammation of the brain) or septicaemia (blood poisoning). The onset of illness can be sudden and treatment should be sought promptly when the infection is suspected.

Approximately one person in ten carries the bacteria harmlessly in the nose and throat and occasionally something will happen to trigger meningococcal meningitis or septicaemia, such as the patient getting a bad cold or flu.