No confirmed cases of meningitis in Moffat County reported Monday
Craig — No confirmed cases of meningitis have been reported in Moffat County as of Monday afternoon, according to Director of Public Health Charity Neal with Northwest Colorado Visiting Nurse Association.
The test results have not yet come back, however, according to TMH Chief of Marketing and Business Development Jennifer Riley. Tests for meningitis typically take about 48 hours to show accurate results, and Riley predicted the results would be in by Tuesday.
Three individuals visited The Memorial Hospital between Saturday night and Sunday that had symptoms similar to meningitis: a nine-month-old, 14-year-old and 15-year-old.
“We have no public-health-reportable disease coming in on any of the individuals that were sent to Children’s,” Neal said Monday. “We have no confirmed cases of meningitis in Moffat County.”
Neal is only able to report on confirmed cases of illness or disease that present a public health concern and is not able to report on the health statuses of individuals.
Bacterial meningitis, which can be caused multiple strains of bacteria, is the only form that is reportable as a public health concern, according to Neal. Viral meningitis tends to be less severe and is not considered a public health concern.
Moffat County School District Registered Nurse Karie Fisher also said no other students have come forward with symptoms nor have been tested for meningitis to her knowledge.
MCSD responded to parents’ concerns with a five-page newsletter detailing risk factors, symptoms, how the infection is transmitted and preventative measures.
“The most effective way to protect you and your child against certain types of bacterial meningitis is to complete the recommended vaccine schedule,” according to the newsletter.
Vaccinations are available for three types of bacteria that cause meningitis, and Neal said the VNA has been receiving lots of calls from parents checking up on their children’s vaccination records.
The Daily Press has been unable to reach parents for confirmation of the children’s status, but this story will be updated as more information becomes available.
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