Students return to school after meningitis death

SOUTHWEST MIAMI-DADE, Fla. (WSVN) -- Students returned to school Monday days after a classmate died from meningitis.

Students at Coral Reef Senior High school wore black shirts and ribbons in honor of Christopher Valdes. "Everyone was quiet, with their heads down crying, just sad," said classmate Bianca Alfonso.

A moment of silence was held at the school for the 18-year-old who died from bacterial meningitis on Friday.

The Heath Department said Valdes felt ill on Wednesday and was taken to an urgent care hospital on Thursday. At the Hospital, he was given antibiotics, but he died an hour later, after arriving to the emergency room.

According to the CDC, the infection spreads through close contact by sharing saliva.

Parents sent their kids to school with concerns after a letter was released to parents informing them about Valdes death. "We are a little scared because it's very dangerous. For me, I have another child at home who is a 9-year-old, and most importantly this school needs to be honest with the parents and with everyone," said parent Ligia Molina.

Parents met with the school and heath department officials on Sunday. "They explained what had happen. They told us how it can be transmitted, and they asked if we had any questions to call they Heath Department number that they had," said Sandy Anderson, "and they also called my house a number of times during the weekend."

"I actually wanted to go to school today to give respect to him," said Alfonso.

This case is not related to the widespread cases of fungal meningitis received from tainted steroid treatments.

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