Media Release

For Immediate Release
Date: January 9, 2007

Department of Health Continues to Look at Rates of Pneumonia in Four Rhode Island Schools

Over the past two weeks, the Rhode Island Department of Health and the CDC have investigated reports of pneumonia at Greenwood Elementary in Warwick; Oak Haven Elementary and Blackrock Elementary in Coventry; and the John F. Deering Middle School in West Warwick. The investigation showed that in October, November, and December there may have been a mild increase in pneumonia that could have been caused by the common Mycoplasma bacterium, one of the most common causes of pneumonia in children and young adults.

The Department of Health and the CDC will continue to monitor for any unusual increase in cases of pneumonia over the next month at those four schools. As part of a follow-up to our investigation, special testing will be offered to children who are newly diagnosed as having pneumonia. In order to better understand the results of this study, we hope to also collect information from students at Deering Middle School who have not had pneumonia since October for the purpose of comparison. The Department of Health and CDC are not currently investigating any new cases of neurological illness. The Department will continue to monitor hospitals and schools for reports of any new cases.

An informational meeting for parents and guardians of John F. Deering Middle School students is scheduled for 6:30 pm, January 10th at the West Warwick High School. This meeting will only be open to Deering Middle School families. David R. Gifford, MD, MPH, Director of Health will be available after the meeting to speak to the media.

Respiratory infections, including pneumonia, are common in children. It is normal that some children throughout the state will have pneumonia over the next month. To help stop the spread of illness, hand-sanitizing gel dispensers and gel have been distributed to elementary and secondary schools throughout the state. The Department of Health continues to recommend its disease prevention messages, which are for people to wash their hands frequently, cough into their sleeves, and to stay home when they are sick.

More information can be found at the Department's website at www.health.ri.gov or by calling the Family Health Information Line at 1-800-942-7434, which is operating 8:30 am through 4:30 pm Monday through Friday.