Sunnyside High School student contracts bacterial meningitis

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Parents of Sunnyside High School students are being notified after a student became ill with bacterial meningitis. Fresno County public health officials said they first learned of a case involving a student Monday and they immediately began identifying people who had close contact with the student who became ill.

In phone messages and letters, Fresno Unified administrators advised parents of the student's diagnosis and told them the chance of other students also becoming ill with the disease is small. Still, the information shared still wasn't enough to ease parent Priscilla Ortega's mind. "To me, it's reason to worry... very stressful thinking that something like that can be spread," said Ortega.

David Luchini with the Fresno County Department of Public Health said a small number of people who had close contact with the student will receive preventative antibiotics. He also stressed the disease isn't easily spread. "This is not an airborne disease that's transmitted by people that may share eating utensils, cigarettes, kissing, drinking, or sharing the same cups... " said Luchini.

Symptoms of bacterial meningitis include fever, headache, and stiff neck. Parents who have questions are being told to contact their family's healthcare provider or the county health department.

Because of privacy laws, public health officials aren't releasing any information about the student who became ill -- or his or her condition.

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fresno unified school district, fresno, fresno county, local, amanda perez

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