After four Princeton University students have come down with meningitis since late March, state health department officials are now calling it an outbreak.
A 20-year-old male student was hospitalized Monday for symptoms of bacterial meningitis, coming on the heels of two students falling sick in late March and mid-April, as well as a fourth hospitalized earlier this month with symptoms of the disease, The Daily Princetonian reported, adding “the state Department of Health has now designated the cases as an outbreak.”
Meningitis is a viral or bacterial infection and it can be deadly.
“The disease is transmitted through air droplets and direct contact with infected persons (e.g. coughing, kissing),” states the National Meningitis Association website.
Three of the four students have recovered, and campus officials have recently sent reminders and alerts to students about the situation and how to stay healthy, The Daily Princetonian reported.
Nevertheless, concerns abound. According to Princeton Patch.com:
Despite collaboration between the state Department of Health, local officials, Princeton University Health Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there’s some concern on the Princeton Board of Health about whether enough is being done.
Board Member Dr. Laura Kahn said there’s never been a case of bacterial meningitis during her board tenure.
“It’s now 2013 and we’ve got four cases in just two months,” Kahn said. “I think it’s statistically unlikely it’s that random.”
Now she, and at least two fellow board members, are asking to see the raw data on the outbreak, including the epidemiological information about each case and the questions students were asked during the health investigation.
There is some concern because of an outbreak at Ohio State University that went on for two years, board members said.
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