Meningitis is contagious, spread through person-to-person contact, and is a very serious infection of blood or membranes around the brain.
Even though no children have been exposed to the infected child, the The DOH says health and school officials have provided preventative medication and information to parents of 80 children and 12 staff.
“We are working closely with Manatee Community Action Agency’s Head Start and school officials and have determined the ill student only spent time in the Head Start and one VPK section of Manatee Elementary School,” said Dr. Jennifer Bencie, DOH Manatee Administrator.
Medications are continuing to be made available to the students and staff over the next few days. Parents of students and staff in the remaining areas of the school were also notified.
