Schools

Monmouth University Employee Suffering From Meningitis

The university is working with public health officials to reach out to any other employees who may be at risk for infection.

By Christopher Sheldon

A Monmouth University employee being treated at a local hospital for meningococcal meningitis, an infecition causes the membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord to become inflamed.

Monmouth University President Paul R. Brown sent a letter out to campus officials notifying them of the situation.

Find out what's happening in Little Silver-Oceanportwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"The University has been in touch with officials from both the Monmouth County Regional Health Commission and the New Jersey State Department of Health," Brown said in the letter. "Those officials, who are also in contact with the Center for Disease Control, are assisting the University’s response to the situation."

Brown said the university is working with the public health officials to reach out to any individuals who may be at risk for infection. 

Find out what's happening in Little Silver-Oceanportwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"Because of the need for such close contact to spread the bacteria, those health officials believe that the group at risk on campus is extremely small," Brown said.

The following facts about the disease were printed in the letter:

· You must be in close personal contact with an infected person’s secretions in order for the bacteria to spread.  Such close contact would include living in the same household, kissing, sharing eating utensils or food, sharing drinks or uncovered face-to-face sneezing or coughing.

· Health experts believe the risk of infection applies to individuals who have been within three feet of the infected individual for eight hours or more at a time.  This risk is usually limited to family members or those residing with the infected individual.

· The bacteria are not spread by casual contact such as being in the same office as the infected person, handling papers touched by the infected person or having contact with a person who was in contact with the sick individual.

The health officials have advised that all classes and normal university activities should continue as planned in the coming days.

"The university shall continue to keep the University community updated on this situation as needed," Brown's letter states.

Further information on meningococcal meningitis can be viewed at the following websites:


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here