BIDDEFORD — A Biddeford High School student has been diagnosed with viral meningitis, school officials confirmed this morning.
The student is recovering at home, while the school’s facilities and maintenance staff have increased disinfection of surfaces associated with the transmission of viruses, Superintendent Jeremy Ray said in a statement sent to parents.
“We are doing everything possible here at school to prevent the spread of viral meningitis,” Amy Elie, the high school nurse, said in the statement.
The BHS case follows a spate of several recent viral meningitis diagnoses in York County schools.
Elie recommended frequent hand washing, avoiding close contact with those who are sick, disinfecting frequently touched surfaces and staying home when sick to help prevent the spread of viral meningitis.
Symptoms of viral meningitis – which is less serious than bacterial meningitis – include fever, headache, stiff neck, sensitivity to bright light, nausea, vomiting, lack of appetite and energy, and sleepiness or trouble waking from sleep, according to the CDC. Most people with viral meningitis recover on their own in seven to 10 days.
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