Pocono News Section

MRSA Found In Wilkes-Barre School

MRSA Found In Wilkes-Barre School - Thursday, October 25, 2007 at 11:14PM EST

Reported by: WBRE News
Thursday, Oct 25, 2007 @11:14pm EST
WILKES-BARRE, LUZERNE COUNTY- A massive cleanup effort was underway Thursday night at Kistler Elementary School. Wilkes-Barre Area School leaders are thanking the parent of a 3rd grader for telling them her child is recovering from a staph infection.

Wilkes-Barre Area Superintendent Dr. Jeff Namey said, "The good news is the young student at Kistler has responded very successfully to the medication."

Members of the custodial staff are staying late. They're cleaning this building top-to-bottom. We're told it will be ready for students come Friday morning.

Jim Serafini of the Wilkes-Barre Area Custodial Support staff said, "We are spraying and disinfecting with a product recommended. All door handles, desks, chair, anything the student might have come in contact with. "

School district leaders tell WBRE News the student continued coming to class, despite the staph infection. "The mom had the infection, the mom had the rash totally covered and the student was wearing long pants," added Namey.

Wilkes-Barre Area and other local school districts are quite familiar with staph infections. More than three years ago, there was a staph outbreak among football players here and in another district. At the time, workers gave Memorial Stadium a thorough cleaning. Namey says, "We have been fortunate in the sense we had a staph issue at memorial stadium a few years ago and we have purchased some of the most effective treatments, sprays and foggers."

School leaders say they'll be sending information home with students on Friday and plan to hold a meeting some time next week to discuss the case.