Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, September 15, 1995 TAG: 9509150066
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Short
Viral meningitis is a flulike illness. It is not related to the deadly bacterial disease that killed a local high school athlete early this year.
Meningitis is an inflammation of the lining of the brain that can be caused by many organisms, including many types of viruses.
Viral meningitis typically occurs most often in late summer and early fall, but Tidewater has seen many more cases than usual this year.
Hospitals and other medical facilities in Norfolk have reported 106 cases since June 1. That's more than twice the number seen for the same period last year. Some of the cases were residents of other cities who sought treatment in Norfolk, the city's Health Department said.
So far this week, the health department has received reports of two new cases of the illness. One victim is a student at Northside Middle School and one attends Granby High School.
Because reports usually make it to the Health Department a week or more after diagnosis, the children probably have recovered and returned to school, said Dr. Valerie Stallings, Norfolk's health director.
There is no vaccine for viral meningitis, and most people recover on their own. Many never even realize they have the illness, attributing their symptoms to the flu.
Even so, parents whose children show signs of the virus should contact their doctor, since the symptoms could signal a variety of illness, some serious, Stallings said.
``Don't try to diagnose these things yourself,'' she said.
by CNB