UPDATE: Close contacts of Elizabethton student given antibiotics

UPDATE: March, 17, 2011 12:21 p.m.

It is going to be another one to two days before health officials know for sure if an Elizabethton High School student died from meningitis.

In the meantime, the Northeast Tennessee Regional Health Department is making sure anyone who had close contact with the student is protected from contracting the virus.

The department administered antibiotics to 30 to 50 potential close contacts, including students and members of the community.

Those antibiotics prevent the virus from developing in close contacts, according to Doctor David Kirschke, Medical Director at the Health Department.

"We believe that by prophylaxing all the close contacts that we'll prevent illness related to this case...but, again, we have 3 to 5 sporadic cases a year," said Kirschke.

The 15-year-old freshman football player was hospitalized at Johnson City Medical Center after complaints of a severe headache.

He died there Wednesday.

The teen's name and personal information are not being released at the family's request.

mhipolit@11connects.com

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UPDATE 11:20 p.m.

A name of the Elizabethton High School student is not being released at a request by the family.

The Tennessee Health Department was at a press conference Wednesday afternoon held at the Johnson City Medical Center. They would not directly discuss the probable meningitis case at Elizabethton High School, but wanted to get the word out about the symptoms and what to do about the infection.

Officials say the symptoms of meningitis include fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, sitff neck, sensitivity to light, altered mental status such as confusion, and rash. If you have a suspicion that you or someone else has the infection, officials advise you not to rush immediately to the emergency room. First call or go to your local health department or call Mountain States Health Alliance at 800-888-5551. They will give you more information.

Health Department doctors also say 18 percent of bacterial meninigitis cases are fatal and that 10 percent of us actually carry the organism in the back of our throats. But it isn't triggered until you come into contact with another person with the infection. This is the first case of meningitis Johnson City doctors have seen so far this year.

Elizabethton High School students were hit hard when they heard about their classmate's death. Christine Hardin is a senior at Elizabethton High School. She says the students gathered together in a way they never had before.

"If they had a video of the gym today, schools don't get that opportunity to get that close. The whole gym got crowded, then people got in smaller groups and people who were leaders and who could save people would just talk to somebody."

Christine says nearly 30 people gave their lives to Christ today, as students who were strangers lent a shouldar to cry on to anybody who needed it. Students were led by fellow students to gather in a circle, hold hands, and pray. Some of them coming to the center and giving their lives to Christ.

Christine says, "With something so bad its hard to see a purpose, but good has come out of this. And I think that knowing how fast things can change, hopefully this won't just change them for one day. Hopefully they will keep it for the rest of their lives."

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Officials confirm that the Elizabethton High School freshman has died due to a probable bacterial meningitis infection.

11Connects will update you as news becomes available.

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A 15-year-old freshman at Elizabethton High School football player has been hospitalized and is in serious condition at the Johnson City Medical Center.

Superintendent of Elizabethton schools Ed Alexander received a call late yesterday afternoon letting him know a student had been hospitalized and was in critical condition.

The student had complained of a headache that day in school.

A press conference will be held at the Johnson City Medical Center around 5 p.m. with more information.

11Connects will have more information on this story as new breaks.