http://www.kentucky.com/mld/kentucky/14168742.htm
Hepatitis cases at Lexington elementary school disclosed
By Raviya H. Ismail
HERALD-LEADER EDUCATION WRITER
<!-- begin body-content -->Three students have tested positive for the Hepatitis A virus at Mary Todd Elementary School, school officials said today.
The Lexington-Fayette County Health Department is working with school officials at Mary Todd to prevent further spread of the virus.
"We don't want to create any type of panic about this," Superintendent Stu Silberman said during a news conference. The health department has stepped in and has it under control, Silberman said
The school will not be closed, Silberman said. Health department officials are working to clean classrooms with a bleach-based solution, said Rodger Amon, chief operating officer of the health department. Students have been told to avoid sharing food or drinks and to wash their hands thoroughly. Symptoms such as aches, fever, abdominal pains, loss of appetite, diarrhea or jaundice should be reported to a doctor and the health department.
The initial case started after a Lexington family went abroad, and a 2-year-old in the family came into contact with the virus, Amon said. The toddler spread the virus to relatives, who are second-grade and kindergarten students at Mary Todd. The kindergartner then spread the virus to a classmate, officials said. The health department was made aware of the earliest incident in mid-February and the latest case this week. Parents were notified shortly after the first child's illness was diagnosed.
Because the illness had spread, the school district notified parents of children in the kindergarten class.
The health department's medical staff will be at Mary Todd to administer immune globulin shots to all students, teachers and aides in that particular kindergarten class. They will hold two clinics at the school: 3 to 6 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. An informational hotline also is available at (859) 288-7529; it will be staffed by nurses from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. today and 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday.
Hepatitis cases at Lexington elementary school disclosed
By Raviya H. Ismail
HERALD-LEADER EDUCATION WRITER
<!-- begin body-content -->Three students have tested positive for the Hepatitis A virus at Mary Todd Elementary School, school officials said today.
The Lexington-Fayette County Health Department is working with school officials at Mary Todd to prevent further spread of the virus.
"We don't want to create any type of panic about this," Superintendent Stu Silberman said during a news conference. The health department has stepped in and has it under control, Silberman said
The school will not be closed, Silberman said. Health department officials are working to clean classrooms with a bleach-based solution, said Rodger Amon, chief operating officer of the health department. Students have been told to avoid sharing food or drinks and to wash their hands thoroughly. Symptoms such as aches, fever, abdominal pains, loss of appetite, diarrhea or jaundice should be reported to a doctor and the health department.
The initial case started after a Lexington family went abroad, and a 2-year-old in the family came into contact with the virus, Amon said. The toddler spread the virus to relatives, who are second-grade and kindergarten students at Mary Todd. The kindergartner then spread the virus to a classmate, officials said. The health department was made aware of the earliest incident in mid-February and the latest case this week. Parents were notified shortly after the first child's illness was diagnosed.
Because the illness had spread, the school district notified parents of children in the kindergarten class.
The health department's medical staff will be at Mary Todd to administer immune globulin shots to all students, teachers and aides in that particular kindergarten class. They will hold two clinics at the school: 3 to 6 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. An informational hotline also is available at (859) 288-7529; it will be staffed by nurses from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. today and 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday.