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91´ó»ÆÑ¼ student recovering after meningitis scare

Interior Health says it was a rare case and is not expecting to see more in the community
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Interior Health medical health officer Dr. Silvina Mema.

A student who contracted meningitis at a 91´ó»ÆÑ¼ high school is recovering and health officials say they ²¹°ù±ð²Ô’t expecting to see any more cases of the disease related to the student.

The high school student was diagnosed last week with meningitis, caused by meningococcal disease, and a informing them of the situation, despite a low risk of it spreading.

Interior Health says this is the second case of meningitis reported in the Interior Health region this year. A normal year would see between two and five cases diagnosed.

“T³ó±ð people that were at risk and in contact with this particular person have all been identified and have been offered ²¹²Ô³Ù¾±²ú¾±´Ç³Ù¾±³¦²õ,†said Interior Health medical health officer Dr. Silvina Mema. “W±ð have identified who is at risk and have dealt with it, so we are not expecting any more cases. The risk is very ±ô´Ç·É.â€

Meningitis presents with symptoms of high fever, headache, stiff neck and drowsiness but Mema said there was nothing to indicate that the disease is circulating in the community.

“T³ó¾±²õ is a single case; we are not talking about an outbreak or a ³¦±ô³Ü²õ³Ù±ð°ù,†she said. “W³ó²¹³Ù we know is that up to 10 per cent of teenagers can carry the bacteria but less than one per cent will develop any disease from it. ±õ³Ù’s common to have the disease among teenagers and ³Ù³ó²¹³Ù’s probably because they share water bottles and are in close contact with each ´Ç³Ù³ó±ð°ù.â€

Mema said the regular vaccination schedule in B.C. covers meningococcal disease and its various strains but added not even vaccinations can be 100 per cent effective.

“T³ó±ð vaccines cover the most common strains and ³Ù³ó²¹³Ù’s great because ·É±ð’v±ð eliminated the most common ²õ³Ù°ù²¹¾±²Ô²õ,†said Mema. “W±ð »å´Ç²Ô’t them as much as before but that means the strains that are not covered by the vaccine begin to emerge. Being immunized is the best way to protect yourself against ³¾±ð²Ô¾±²Ô²µ¾±³Ù¾±²õ.â€

A new vaccine against four different meningococcal strains is being introduced this year for Grade 9 students, according to Mema.

 



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