Bacterial Meningitis Kills Michigan Elementary School Cook

LINWOOD, Mich. (WWJ/AP) - Bay County health officials say an elementary school cook has died of bacterial meningitis, and parents have received notice of the infection.

MLive.com says that 50-yearold Deborah Geiersbach died Saturday. She worked as a cook at Linwood Elementary School in Linwo0od, part of the Pinconning Area Schools.

County health officer Joel Strasz says his department and the school district are working on a response.

He says bacterial meningitis "is not spread through casual contact or by simply being in the same room as an infected person." He says someone would need direct contact with an infected person's saliva to contract meningitis.

To reduce the spread and risk of any communicable disease, it is recommended that students and staff not share items that come in contact with another person's saliva such as foods, drinks, lipstick/balm, or cigarettes.

The school district sent out notice of the infection to parents and staff on Friday.

According to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention, major symptoms of bacterial meningitis may include fever, headache, rash, and a stiff neck, sometimes with aching muscles. Nausea, vomiting and other symptoms may occur.

Those who develop these symptoms are should see a doctor.

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