68 cases of MRSA found in 47 schools

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

68 cases of MRSA found in 47 schools

by Janel Davis | Staff Writer

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Sixty-eight cases of Methicillin-resistant Staphyloccus aureus, or MRSA, were confirmed at 47 schools during the 2007-2008 school years, said County Health Officer Ulder J. Tillman at a County Council briefing Tuesday.

Various schools within the system were cleaned after the reported incidents.

As part of the plan to prevent the spread of the disease, health officials have required certain cleaning and disinfecting at county facilities, including schools, community centers and pools. More information on MRSA is available on the county and school system Web sites.

In the event of a flu pandemic, Tillman said, absentee rates are expected to be at least 40 percent. The county plans to spend $126,000 on 7,000 adult doses and 1,700 pediatric doses. The state’s health department will purchase the vaccines at a federally discounted rate on behalf of the county. The doses have a 7 year shelf life.

‘‘It takes six months to develop a vaccine once a form of influenza is identified,” she said. ‘‘Therefore our best defense when it comes to this country is to use technical defenses to prevent the spread, such as social distancing, in which people keep a yard away from each other, and a reinforcement of respiratory etiquette of coughing into your elbow and discussing school closures.”