After Oologah outbreak, Oklahoma to give vaccinations

The Rogers County and state Health Departments confirmed Monday that a seventh student in the Oologah-Talala School District has developed meningococcal disease.

"It is complicated because we have found no direct contact between this case and the other cases,” said Leslea Bennett-Webb, state Health Department spokeswoman.

Officials confirmed that she is in high school and is the first Oologah-Talala student outside of the elementary school to be infected.

The six Oologah-Talala students who contracted meningococcal disease last week were members of just two elementary school classes — one

kindergarten and the other second-grade.

Public health officials stressed that the general public is not at risk. Only people with close, personal contact to someone with a meningococcal infection have a slightly increased risk of developing the disease, according to a news release.

Family members and close contacts of the latest case will be able to receive antibiotics at a special clinic today at the Rogers County Health Department, 2664 N State Highway 88 in Claremore.

Symptoms of meningococcal disease may appear two to 10 days after infection. People ill with meningococcal septicemia may have fever, nausea, vomiting and a rash. People ill with meningitis will have fever, intense headache, nausea, vomiting and a stiff neck.

Sonya Colberg, Staff Writer

Kim Archer, Tulsa World