Residents stunned over meningitis outbreak

(Bedford Stuyvesant- WABC, June 7, 2006) (WABC) -- One woman is dead and three others are seriously ill after a meningitis outbreak in Brooklyn.

Eyewitness New's Marcus Solis is live outside of Woodhull Hospital in Bedford Stuyvesant with the latest.

Residents and relatives stunned by the fast moving of events. It was just this past weekend that they went to a barbecue, now today one woman is dead and three others seriously ill.

Katrina Spencer: "Everybody's more in a state of shock like we're going to wake up the dream is going to be over but that's not the case at this time."

It's been a scary and mysterious few days for Katrina Spencer and her family. Yesterday her aunt, Geraldine Safford died of bacterial meningitis. Spencer's sister Lorna is also suffering from the infection. The 12-year-old is on a respirator at Woodhull Hospital.

Katrina Spencer: "That was my aunt, she was like my mother..my best friend my everything."

Two other residents of 940 Gates Avenue are also hospitalized with meningitis. It's unclear how the outbreak started. The only common link is that there was a cookout on a terrace in the building on Saturday. The next day people started getting sick, including Bernette Dews' niece.

Bernette Dews, Victim's Aunt: "She was just out of it and I told her mother we have to take her to the hospital because the other morning they took the other little girl out. And then about a hour and a half later I found out, I said what's going on here."

Bacterial meningitis is an infection of the soft tissue that protects the brain and spinal cord.

Symptoms include: