Media Release

LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL HEALTH OFFICIALS OUTLINE PLANS TO COMBAT ILLNESS OUTBREAK AT WARWICK SCHOOL

Antibiotics To Be Distributed To Greenwood Elementary School Students, Staff and Immediate Families; School Will Remain Closed Until January 8

At a briefing today at the State Emergency Operations Center, the Rhode Island Department of Health (HEALTH) and Warwick Mayor Scott Avedisian announced that a series of actions are being taken in an attempt to prevent any further illness being caused by the bacteria, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, at the Greenwood Elementary School in Warwick.

The investigation into this infection outbreak has been ongoing since a second-grade student at Greenwood Elementary School became ill in November and died on December 21st of encephalitis, an infection of the brain. A second student in the classroom also became ill and was diagnosed with meningitis, an infection around the brain. She has since recovered. The first student is suspected of having the bacteria, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, and the second student is considered to be a “probable” case of being infected with the bacteria.

Since then, two additional students with pneumonia have been diagnosed with the bacteria, and HEALTH is awaiting additional test results from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) on two additional students who also had pneumonia findings on x-ray. Throughout this past week, two epidemiological investigators from the CDC have been assisting Department of Health epidemiologists in their investigation of this illness.

As a result of the ongoing investigation, HEALTH and the CDC are recommending that the students and staff of the Greenwood Elementary School and their immediate families receive a five-day course of antibiotics. HEALTH and CDC are not requiring families to take the antibiotics. The antibiotics will be distributed, at no cost, at the Greenwood Elementary School from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday (December 31 – January 2) in an effort to accommodate all families. HEALTH and CDC are not recommending preventive antibiotics for anyone else at this time.

HEALTH and Warwick officials also announced that Greenwood Elementary School will be closed until Monday, January 8. This measure is being taken out to ensure that the students, staff and families complete their antibiotic treatment before returning to the school.

In response to requests from the community, HEALTH and the CDC will be making individual testing available for those families who request it. To complete this test, a throat swab will be taken at the distribution site and the individuals will be asked to have blood testing performed at their convenience during the week at East Side Laboratories.

HEALTH will be holding a series of information meetings on all days of antibiotic distribution at the Greenwood Elementary School at 10 a.m., 12 p.m., and 2 p.m. to answer questions. These meetings are only for families and staff of the Greenwood Elementary School.

In conjunction with state and federal health officials, the Warwick School Department called the families of all Greenwood Elementary School students Saturday afternoon to inform them about the distribution of antibiotics and the closing of the school. Families were also given a dedicated information line to call if they had additional questions. Information is also available on the HEALTH web site (www.health.ri.gov).

In addition to family information line, a separate phone number has been established for the general public who may have questions about this infection outbreak. That number is 1-800-974-7434. They may also visit the HEALTH web site.

HEALTH has distributed information via fax about this infection outbreak to Rhode Island physicians and other healthcare providers. A separate phone line has been established for physicians who have questions.

INFORMATION ON THE CLINICS FOR FAMILY MEMBERS

• Only Greenwood Elementary School students, staff, and their immediate family members will receive the antibiotics.
• Not all family members need to be present to receive the antibiotics.
• Testing will be made available to all students, staff, and family members who participate in the antibiotic distribution.
• To receive the antibiotics, you must bring:
• Photo identification
• The name of the Greenwood Elementary School student(s) who are family members.
• The ages, weights, medication allergies and current medications for each student and each family member.
• The primary care provider for each student and each family member.