Parents warned about meningitis outbreak

MIRAMAR, Fla. (WSVN) -- Students at a South Florida school went home with an alarming letter after a classmate was diagnosed with bacterial meningitis.

Parents have been warned to watch their kids closely for meningitis symptoms after a student from Fairway Elementary School was diagnosed.

Broward County Schools made phone calls to students' homes Wednesday morning informing parents about the outbreak. Students also went home with letters informing parents that a child had been diagnosed with bacterial meningitis and warned parents about the symptoms and precautions regarding the potentially deadly virus.

The letter warned parents how bacterial meningitis could be contracted from other students. The virus can be contagious if kids interact with someone who has been diagnosed.

Parents with children at Fairway Elementary have been told to keep a close eye on their kids for the next two to eleven days. That is the incubation period for this particular type of meningitis. "It's serious," said Ephram Roberts. "Meningitis can be fatal, you know, if the proper precautions aren't taken, and you don't notice it ahead of time. It's very serious. I'm very concerned."

Symptoms include high fever, chills, feeling unusually tired, a rash, confusion, intense headaches, nausea and vomiting and stiffness in the neck and spine.

The letter sent to parents by the school said if your child shows any meningitis symptoms, they should be taken the their physician immediately. Doctors said the sooner the better. "It could be very serious if it is not caught and treated early," said Dr. Nabil El-Sanadi.

The student who was diagnosed has been removed from school to receive treatment and must pass a test that proves they no longer have the virus before they are allowed to return to school.

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