ANCHORAGE — Alaska state health officials say an elementary school student in Kotzebue was diagnosed with bacterial meningitis, but they will not say if it was the same Kotzebue elementary school student who died over the weekend.
Northwest Arctic Borough School District officials also would not say Monday if there was any link between the meningitis case and the student who died Saturday, citing privacy laws.
Health officials say they have identified close contacts of the child who would be most at risk of illness. Officials are recommending antibiotic treatment for close contacts.
According to officials, the meningitis bacterium can cause serious illness or deaths. Officials add those kinds of cases are rare and the state sees fewer than five cases a year.
