BLOOMINGTON – The Monroe County Health Department (MCHD) was notified on September 29, 2023, by the Indiana Department of Health (IDOH) of a possible case of meningococcal disease in a Rogers Elementary student.
Clinical presentations of meningococcal disease may include bacterial meningitis or other serious infections such as bloodstream infections.
The patient’s symptoms were consistent with possible meningococcal disease, an infectious disease that can quickly cause severe illness.
The MCHD identified 35 individuals who were in close contact with the patient and provided guidance to follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and IDOH guidelines to take preventive antibiotic treatment out of an abundance of caution. Although initial findings later suggested that the patient’s illness was unlikely bacterial meningitis, findings did not rule out the possibility of other infections.
No additional cases of related illness have been identified or reported. All other appropriate precautions have been taken, and there is no known public health threat at this time.
We will continue to provide updates as more information is received while also respecting patient privacy.
