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Updated: 11:09 PM Jun 3, 2007
Confirmed Case of Meningitis in Eau Claire
Eau Claire County health leaders say there's a confirmed case of meningitis in the Chippewa Valley. Posted: 10:30 PM Jun 3, 2007Reporter: Katie Heinz Email Address: katie.heinz@weau.com |
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Eau Claire County health leaders say there's a confirmed case of meningitis in the Chippewa Valley.
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City-County Health Director Richard Thoune says preliminary test results show a man who was stopped by police early Saturday morning has meningitis.
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Eau Claire Police say it seemed like a normal patrol of Water Street around 1:30 a.m. Saturday, until they spotted something a little out of the ordinary.
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"Officers observed a vehicle, a small SUV, driving westbound on the sidewalk at 300 Water Street," said Eau Claire Police Sergeant Randy Fahrenkrog.
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Sergeant Randy Fahrenkrog says the Suzuki SUV crossed Fourth Avenue and continued onto the 400-block of Water, before swerving into some open parking spaces and driving back onto Water Street.
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"Fortunately, it was a slow speed and people were able to get out of the way," Fahrenkrog said.
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That's when officers stopped the man.
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"That time of night, there's a lot of people around, there's a lot of intoxicated people around because it's getting close to bar closing," Fahrenkrog said.
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But Fahrenkrog says officers quickly realized the man was suffering from a medical condition, and immediately called an ambulance.
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He says the man was taken to Sacred Heart Hospital, where police say he's in critical condition.
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"There's no arrest, no consideration of charges that I'm aware of," Fahrenkrog said. "There wasn't a criminal intent here, this was a medical condition and the subject obviously didn't know what he was doing."
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City-County Health Director Richard Thoune says the hospital contacted the health department within an hour.
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"What we can confirm based on preliminary lab results is it is meningococcal meningitis," Thoune said.
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Thoune says the health department has identified 35 people who may have had close contact with the man, and recommended antibiotic treatments for 21 of them.
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"Sharing of beverage containers, kissing, sharing cigarettes - those are the things we're looking for," Thoune said. "In addition, if people feel they had close contact with nasal secretions, mucus, that would also be considered close contact."
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Thoune says the health department has wrapped up its investigation into who may have been exposed to meningitis, and has contacted everyone it believes is affected.
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But neither the police department nor the health department will release the man's name, or his age.
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However, Thoune says the man works on Water Street.
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"It doesn't represent a broad threat to the community, and we believe we have taken appropriate action to protect those who've had close contact," Thoune said.
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