A female Ohio University student is in stable condition and recovering at O'Bleness Memorial Hospital from what school officials are calling a probable case of viral meningitis.
Several Bush Hall students confirmed that freshman Krystine Garcia was taken to O'Bleness yesterday and that she had been sick since Thursday.
An e-mail sent to Bush Hall residents by Dean of Students Ryan Lombardi informed them of the meningitis case this afternoon and clarified that this is a case of viral meningitis, not bacterial.
Our previous two cases on campus were bacterial
which can be quite severe and are treated aggressively with antibiotics Lombardi stated. This case is viral meningitis which is generally less severe and resolves without specific treatment.
In February, OU freshmen John O'Brien and Michael Crane contracted bacterial meningitis, a potentially fatal form of meningitis.
Symptoms for both viral and bacterial meningitis include severe headache, stiff neck, fever, disorientation, drowsiness and nausea.
Students exhibiting symptoms of meningitis are encouraged to go to Hudson Health Center or the O'Bleness emergency room.
The symptoms are virtually the same
Lombardi said. We don't want students to take a chance if they have symptoms; we want them to get checked out.
According to the Ohio Department of Health, there have been 17 cases of bacterial meningitis so far this year. There were 113 reported cases of bacterial meningitis last year.
wl372808@ohiou.edu
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