INDIAN RIVER COUNTY, Fla. — A case of MRSA, a highly contagious skin infection, has been confirmed in Indian River County.
The Indian River County School District confirmed they learned of an Osceola Magnet School student’s diagnosis on Thursday morning.
The student did not come to school Thursday after being diagnosed Wednesday. A district spokesperson says a school health aide noticed a suspicious sore on the student Wednesday and the student went to the hospital where the diagnosis was confirmed.
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A phone call went out from the school’s principal to parents Thursday.
The district said all areas that the student may have been in contact with have been deep cleaned. Students who shared a classroom with the student diagnosed with MRSA were temporarily relocated to ensure that deep cleaning may be done and that they did not come in contact with any area that may be contaminated.
No testing or school operations were disrupted.
The school district also stressed all schools are cleaned and sanitized daily by custodial staff.
After learning of the student's MRSA diagnosis, a custodial team was on campus within an hour with deep cleaning equipment and hospital grade disinfectants. The district uses the E-Mist to treat the school using TB-Cide Quat or Super HDQ. Both chemicals are standard stock at all schools now, and there is extra in storage in case of an emergency.
If a student has an open wound, and MRSA is suspected, a school health aide will covered with a clean, dry bandage (preventing the infected skin from coming in to contact with other children, the environment, or the child’s hands, notify parents, and the student will need a doctor’s note to return.
The district says there is no indication the student contracted MRSA at school.
