Two Burnet CISD pupils contract viral meningitis

BY SETH GREEN • Daily Tribune Staff

BURNET - The wave of viral meningitis infections continues in the Highland Lakes as authorities confirmed two cases in the Burnet Consolidated Independent School District over the weekend.

“I have not heard anything from any parents yet,” Burnet CISD Assistant Superintendent Ed Middlebrooks said. “We just learned about it (Monday) morning ourselves.”

Burnet CISD Superintendent Jeff Hanks sent a letter to parents Monday explaining the district had learned a student from Burnet Middle School and another from R.J. Richey Elementary School had been diagnosed with viral meningitis over the weekend.

The cases come on the heels of Llano County’s reports last week of five viral meningitis cases, which included one student at Packsaddle Elementary School in Kingsland, one student from Llano Elementary School, one from Llano Junior High School, an infant from Sunrise Beach and a Kingsland preschool student.

Llano County Health Autority Dr. Jack Franklin said last week he expected all five victims to make full recoveries.

“We’re not aware of any connection (between the cases),” Middlebrooks said. “There’s not a common strand that we’re aware of.”

In his letter, Hanks asked parents and students to help stem the spread of the disease by not sharing food, drinks, utensils or toothbrushes. He also encouraged students to wash their hands thoroughly and frequently.

“If you are around someone who has viral meningitis, the most effective method of prevention is to wash your hands thoroughly and often,” Hanks wrote to parents.

Franklin concurred.

“Just basically frequent hand washing and treating fevers appropriately,” he said, adding children with fevers should stay home from school.

While viral meningitis is spread by contact, not everybody who contracts the virus gets meningitis. Some just get a cold, Franklin said. Symptoms of the disease include headache, fever, severe neck pain, nausea and vomiting and sensitivity to light. Conversely, Franklin said, those who contract meningitis bacteria always develop bacterial meningitis.

Because of the headaches and nausea, many children with viral meningitis do not feel like eating or drinking, which can lead to dehydration.

That risk, Franklin said, along with the 24-48 hours it takes to complete tests to ensure the patient does not have a more severe form of meningitis, warrants short hospital stays even for viral meningitis patients.

While viral meningitis is less serious than the bacterial form of the disease, Hanks said, both forms of the illness share similar symptoms. For that reason, he said parents who suspect their children have meningitis should visit a doctor to confirm it is the viral form. Treatment for bacterial meningitis includes intense doses of antibiotics soon after contracting the disease.

While viral meningitis has not yet spread to the Marble Falls Independent School District, officials there are ready if it does.

“These kinds of things are always scary, especially for parents,” MFISD Superintendent Ryder Warren said. “We’ve just got to get on the stick and make sure everyone knows.”

He said the Marble Falls School District has not had to deal with meningitis cases yet, but they have had to deal with whooping cough and other illness outbreaks. In those cases, he said, the district will send information packets home with students.

But, Warren said, district officials hope their district avoids the disease altogether.

“We’re just knocking on wood,” he said.

seth@thepicayune.com

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Two Burnet CISD pupils
contract viral meningitis