A Brandon Fletcher Intermediate School student was diagnosed last week with a ‘staph? infection. It was later determined that it was not MRSA or Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus, an infection that can be fatal.
Family members of the student notified the district on Oct. 18 of the diagnosis. School officials sent home a letter with students on Friday regarding the incident, reporting that the student had not been in school since Oct.15 and the Oakland County Health Division assured the school officials the risk of infection is very low. Health department officials say the bacteria has a life-span of no more than 72 hours, and if no contact was made with any other persons, the threat of a spread is virtually none.
School officials reported that every area of the school the student may have had contact with had been disinfected and sanitized, including classrooms, the cafeteria, buses and lockers.
‘All the buildings and classrooms were sanitized on Thursday after hours,? said Ed Breslin, Jr., coordinator for community education and information services. ‘All was clean when the student came in on Friday.?
Waterless hand sanitizers are available in every area of the schools, and administrators are reviewing personal hygiene procedures with students, putting particular emphasis on proper hand washing techniques.
‘If you suspect your child is ill, please keep them home,? added Breslin.
According to news reports, several Oakland County area schools have reported outbreaks of staph infections, however, none of the diagnoses have been the more dangerous MRSA.