Virginia School District Reports 2 Possible Staph Infections

A Virgina school district on Thursday reported two possible cases of staph infections, and a school superintendent said he believes more will be diagnosed, IndyStar.com reported.

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In New Jersey, Point Pleasant Boro High School was reopened after cleaning crews sanitized classrooms, locker rooms and other parts of the school after a student had been diagnosed with the drug-resistant bacteria infection, MRSA.

In the past week, three students have died of the communicable infection.

A Richmond high school student and a Vaile elementary student told administrators they believe they have staph infections, Superintendent Allen Bourff said.

If confirmed, the latest cases would bring the Richmond Community Schools cases to three, after a high school football player on Tuesday told his athletic director he had the infection. The player and the other high school student were treated and allowed to return to school.

The nation’s attention was drawn to the superbug after Virginia student Ashton Bonds died on Monday, prompting the closure of 22 Virginia schools, which were cleaned.

The next day, the American Medical Association published a report saying the number of staph-related deaths may surpass those of AIDS, with more than 90,000 Americans getting potentially deadly infections each year.

Researchers found that only about one-quarter involved hospitalized patients; however, more than half were in the health care system — people who recently had surgery or were on kidney dialysis, for example. Open wounds and exposure to medical equipment are major ways the bug spreads.

In recent years, the resistant germ has become more common in hospitals and it has been spreading through prisons, gyms and locker rooms, as well as in poor urban neighborhoods.

Staph infections have been popping up around the country, with schools in at least six states reporting infected students.

Other known deaths include preschooler Catherine Bentley of Salisbury, N.H., and Shae Kiernan, 11, of Vancleave, Miss., who succumbed to the infection last week.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.