2 cases of MRSA in Lynchburg schools

A student at Paul Laurence Dunbar Middle School for Innovation and Sheffield Elementary School have been diagnosed with MRSA, Lynchburg City Schools officials said Wednesday.

The Sheffield case was confirmed Monday and the Dunbar case was confirmed Tuesday. Treney Tweedy, Lynchburg City Schools spokeswoman, said the cases are not related.

According to a statement released by the school division, both students are being treated at home with antibiotics. Tweedy estimated students missed “a couple of days” of school.

Division parents were notified about the MRSA cases by letters mailed Wednesday and phone calls placed by the system’s automated message system, ConnectED.

Sheffield was disinfected and underwent additional cleaning following its Monday confirmation. Dunbar was cleaned Tuesday evening and cleaning was to continue Wednesday evening.

“It’s become routine, but we still go in and take extra measures as they come up,” Tweedy said.

MRSA, or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureaus, is an antibiotic-resistant infection typically contracted through injury to the skin and spread through equipment or direct contact with the affected area. Because MRSA can be spread through equipment it’s common among athletes. It manifests itself as a painful pimple or boil.

Wednesday’s announcement marks the fourth and fifth confirmed MRSA cases in the division this school year.

“In all of the situations, we’ve had limited phones calls from parents. I think people understand it is something in the community,” she said. “We’ve heightened the awareness of cleanliness.”

Both schools have educated students and faculty on the importance of personal hygiene, such as frequent hand-washing and not sharing personal items.

National headlines focused on MRSA last fall when a Centers for Disease Control study citing it as a significant health problem coincided with the October death of 17-year-old Ashton Bonds, a student at Staunton River High School in Bedford County.

Bonds died from the disease, and nearly a week and half after his death Gov. Timothy M. Kaine approved an emergency regulation requiring laboratories report MRSA infections to the Virginia Department of Health.

Brian Wray, Dunbar principal, said he met with faculty and staff Tuesday following confirmation of the school’s MRSA case. In the meeting, he reviewed preventative measures.

Wray also said the school’s nurse will address students Thursday on the school’s closed-circuit TV system and physical education teachers plan to address MRSA in health lessons.

“We’re on top of it and are always looking out for student safety,” Wray said.