5th Confirmed Case of MRSA at Rocky Point High School

From Rocky Point Superintendent Michael F. Ring:

January 21, 2015

Dear Parents and Guardians:

The district has been informed that a fifth student has a confirmed case of MRSA. This case is believed to have resulted from an ongoing medical condition affecting the student in question. Although the student in question participates on the same sports team as the previous cases, the student has not participated in sports for more than a month.

Upon learning of the most recent case, we once again notified the Suffolk County Department of Health, which, in turn, has reviewed it with the New York State Department of Health. The district has already implemented all protocols recommended by these two departments.

As I stated in my previous letter, these notifications are not meant to cause alarm, but rather to keep the community informed and to raise awareness in order to assist the district in identifying and reporting any other potential cases. A result of our vigilance in this matter is the identification of a number of MRSA cases that might not have been identified otherwise as they are of a nature that is often treated with oral and/or topical antibiotics without impacting a student’s educational program. However, although most MRSA infections aren’t serious, the fact that some may become quite serious is why we will continue to act with diligence in addressing this matter.

The safety of our students and staff is paramount, and we will continue to follow this necessary protocol of communication. Toward that end, we will continue to inform you if we learn of any new confirmed cases of MRSA.

Your continued understanding and support is greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,
Michael F. Ring, Ed.D.