Sat, 03 Nov 2007 09:41:0
Annabella Bulacan - AHN News Writer
New York, NY (AHN) - Officials in Queensland Elementary School in New York ordered a massive clean-up of its surroundings and classrooms as they confirmed that four siblings, who are students of the institution were diagnosed on Friday with a deadly drug-resistant staph infection.
The names of the students were not disclosed, but school officials sent letters to all parents to take the precautionary measures and to be observant of the health condition of their children.
Since last year, at least 600 methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, cases affecting grade schoolers and high school students in New York have been put on record.
The most recent case of reported death due to staph bacteria infection was in Oct 14., killing 12-year-old Canarsie Brooklyn student, Omar Rivera.
Three other related deaths have been confirmed by health officials here within the first few months of the year.
It was estimated that in 2005 alone, some 94,360 people around the world had serious MRSA infection and of the total, 18,650 died.
Meanwhile, New York City public health authorities urged the residents to frequently wash their hands, cover all wounds with bandages and to avoid sharing towels and razors with others, to prevent the spread of the deadly bacteria.
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