Meningitis Confirmed at Elementary School in Toms River

A case of meningitis at in Toms River is being investigated, the first one reported in Ocean County this year.

The affected student, whose name or grade was not released, was tested, and the school underwent a thorough disinfecting, officials said. A letter was sent home with every student and posted on the Toms River Regional Schools website.

The last cases of meningitis that were reported in Ocean County were in two adults, one in April 2011 and one in May 2011,  spokesperson Leslie D. Terjesen. In January 2011, a student died from bacterial meningitis.

The spread of meningitis, an infection caused by a bacteria spread by close contact such as sharing eating utensils, can be lessened by simple household disinfectants, said Terjesen.

School spokesperson Tammi Millar said the school is taking extra precaution in response to the meningitis.

"East Dover Elementary School has been provided with hand-sanitizers for each classroom and as a precaution the Toms River Regional maintenance department is cleaning and sanitizing all impacted areas, including transportation," she said in a prepared statement.

A letter to families said the chance of additional students and their families becoming ill is small.

Terjesen said simply being in the same classroom as an affected student is not enough to spread meningitis. Nevertheless the county health department established a special phone extension — 732-341-9700, extension 7515 — to field calls from concerned parents.

Terjersen said the meningitis case has been a cooperation of the school, its staff and the county health department.

"We've been assisting all day," Terjesen said. The East Dover School nurse took in the student and interim Assistant Superintendent Mike Pizza called the county health department, Terjesen said, as the process unfolded this morning.

The county staff and its epidemiologist responded and tested the affected student, Terjesen said. The school was disinfected thereafter.