Confirmed Case of Bacterial Meningitis

The Zanesville Muskingum County Health Department is reporting a confirmed case of bacterial meningitis in a 19-year-old student attending Muskingum University. The health department first learned of the case Wednesday and immediately started an investigation. Friends, family members and direct contacts of the student have been indentified and are being treated. The health department says you must be within three feet of the infected person for a total of eight hours to be considered as a direct contact. The disease is spread by direct contact with an infected person through exchange of respiratory and throat secretions like saliva, sharing water bottles, coughing and kissing. Early symptoms include high fever, cough, headache and/or stiff neck. If this occurs, seek medical attention right away. A late sign is a red/purple rash. The student is recovering and doing very well. The health department says to protect yourself and others, wash your hands often with soap and water, and cough or sneeze into your elbow, not your hand.