State confirms seventh meningococcal disease case
Oregon Public Health officials are confirming a seventh case of meningococcal disease linked to a University of Oregon outbreak – a 52-year-old man who visited his daughter on the UO campus May 2-3. They say it’s proof the illness lingers on campus, and students should immediately get vaccinated.
The university worked quickly to provide preventive antibiotic treatment to the man’s close contacts. Oregon Public Health and Lane County Public Health continue to work closely with UO to investigate this outbreak.
Parents and other campus visitors are not at increased risk of exposure to meningococcal B disease by simply visiting the UO campus. However, they can help reduce the transmission risk by covering their cough; washing and sanitizing their hands often; not sharing drinks, utensils, cigarettes or other smoking equipment or personal cosmetics that touch the lips; and knowing that kissing poses a risk.
UO students should get vaccinated against the disease right away, and be sure to complete the dose series, which is offered in two- and three-dose courses. So far, more than 10,000 UO students have received the first dose of the meningitis B vaccine. The goal is to vaccinate all University of Oregon undergraduate students. Additional information:
- Public Health Division meningococcal facts at http://public.health.oregon.gov/DiseasesConditions/DiseasesAZ/MeningococcalDisease/Pages/facts.aspx
- UO meningitis B vaccine information at https://healthcenter.uoregon.edu/getthevax.aspx
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