Unconfirmed Report Of MRSA At Southampton High School: Superintendent

SOUTHAMPTON, NY — The Southampton School District has received an unconfirmed report of a case of MRSA at the high school, the district said on its website Friday.

Southampton School District Interim Superintendent Dr. Nicholas J. Dyno said in a statement that the report of methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, at Southampton High School was "unconfirmed and there is no immediate public threat."

However, he added, "We believe it is important to notify all families and staff. Please be assured, the district has been in contact with the Suffolk County Health Department and is following recommended procedures to help protect students and staff from developing a MRSA infection in the school setting."

The school's janitorial staff will perform a "deep clean" of the high school this weekend, Dyno said.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "MRSA is methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, a type of staph bacteria that is resistant to several antibiotics. In the general community, MRSA most often causes skin infections. In some cases, it causes pneumonia (lung infection) and other issues. If left untreated, MRSA infections can become severe and cause sepsis — a life-threatening reaction to severe infection in the body."

Due to concern for the health and safety of students, staff, families and the community, the district is providing parents and residents with reminders of how to protect themselves and their families from skin infection, Dyno said.

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