RSOE Emergency and Disaster Information Service

Situation Update No. 1

Posted:2010-03-06, 04:18:44 [UTC]

Ref.no.: EH-20100306-25215-CAN

Situation Update No. 1
On 2010-03-07 at 03:55:19 [UTC]

Event: Epidemic Hazard
Location: Canada Province of Canada St. Mary’s High School Calgary

Number of Infected: 1 person(s)

Health officials have confirmed a case of meningococcal disease at a Calgary high school but say the risk of students or teachers contracting the illness is extremely low. The St. Mary's High School student was diagnosed with the contagious illness last weekend and is now in hospital. Ten students in close contact with the teen have been given antibiotics and offered vaccine. Meningococcal disease is potentially fatal, but in this instance there is little cause for families to worry, said the province's deputy medical officer of health. "It's not something that is transmitted through casual contact," said Dr. Judy MacDonald, noting the illness is typically spread through saliva and by sharing things like water bottles, lipstick and cigarettes. "Every year you do see cases but it's rare ... we are sending letters home to parents and we want to reassure them." Meningococcal infections are caused by bacteria and spread to others through direct contact with fluid from the nose or throat of infected people. Young people are most at risk because they are more likely to share drinks and eating utensils. Symptoms include sudden fever, headache, stiff neck, nausea and vomiting. The Calgary Catholic School District advised parents of the approximately 1,100 students who attend the inner-city school of the medical incident by letter on Friday. "Parents have questions but there doesn't seem to be a huge amount of concern," said spokeswoman Janet Sutherland. "There really is no safety risk to any of the students." Alberta became the first Canadian province to introduce a routine meningococcal vaccine program for infants after the number of cases in 2001. Health officials even travelled to nightclubs, concerts and sporting events as part of a mass immunization effort targeted at young people. Meningococcal disease is often confused with meningitis, but the two illnesses are not the same. Meningococcal disease is caused by bacterial infection and can cause blood poisoning. It can advance rapidly from vague, flu-like symptoms to death within a day.