Student dies from meningitis

SOUTHWEST MIAMI-DADE, Fla. (WSVN) -- Miami-Dade Schools has confirmed a student at Coral Reef Senior High has died from meningitis.

Students said they learned of their classmate's death while in class Friday. Officials noted, this case is not related to widespread cases of fungal meningitis received from tainted steroid treatments. This is an unrelated case.

Students said the school was put in lock down when they received the news. The school district said they did this so faculty could make sure to give all students a letter informing them about the student's death.

It remains unclear if this is a case of viral or bacterial meningitis. The student, who has not been named to the public, passed away at a local hospital. Students at the school said he was a senior.

Coral Reef Senior High School, Miami-Dade County Public Schools and the Health Department are all working together to figure out how, when and where he contracted the disease.

Students were sent home from the school with a letter to inform parents of the meningitis-related death. The letter noted symptoms include headache, vomiting, stiff neck and fever. Officials are urging students with any of these symptoms should go to the doctor or the emergency room.

Some students expressed their concern about the diagnosis and do plan to get checked out. "We just some him earlier today," said one student, "and then he just went home, thinking he was just sick with the common cold, and then to find out that he has this is crazy."

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