Archive - Wednesday, 13 January 1999


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MENINGITIS BUG HITS CRECHE

A CRECHE in Winsford has become the latest in a list of Cheshire education establishments to be hit by the killer brain disease, meningitis.

The nursery, based at Mid-Cheshire College's Verdin Centre, revealed yesterday afternoon, Tuesday, that a 20-month-old child was being treated in hospital for suspected meningococcal disease.

Parents have been put on alert following the scare and are urged to contact helplines for advice and information if their child has the tell-tale symptoms.

The college is just one of many schools in Cheshire to have been affected by the meningitis outbreak also reported at Poynton High School, High Street Primary School in Winsford, and Grange Comprehensive School, Runcorn.

But Mid-Cheshire College has reassured parents of the 50 children under aged five who attend the creche there is no cause for panic.

Lynne Brown, a spokeswoman for the college, said: "The advice from Dr Hunter at the Public Health Laboratories, of the communicable disease unit, Chester, is for the creche to continue running at its normal high standard of hygiene and there should be no reason for other parents to worry.

"Although there have been a number of cases of meningitis reported in Cheshire recently, as an isolated case, this poses no threat to the other children who attend the creche.

"The nursery itself is separate from the main body of Mid-Cheshire College. Most students are based at out Hartford campus. But even though we have adult classes at the Verdin Centre, we do not see it as a cause for alarm at all. "

"Parents and staff will also be relieved to hear that the child with suspected meningitis, who attends the Verdin Centre two days a week, is no longer in intensive care."

She added: "The college has sent a letter to parents of children who attend the Verdin Creche. But for further information about the disease, the National Meningitis Helpline can be contacted on 0345 538118."

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.