Oologah Residents: Meningitis Outbreak Will Make Community Stronger

More than 2,000 people call the Oologah community home. For the past five days the rare disease has been the main topic of conversation and concern across the town.

Tuesday, March 16th 2010, 5:26 pm

By: News On 6


By Dan Bewley and Scott Thompson, The News On 6

OOLOGAH, OK -- A seventh student from the Oologah-Talala School District has been sickened by a strain of meningitis that has already killed two children from Oologah schools.

The outbreak has forced Oologah into the spotlight. 

More than 2,000 people call the Oologah community home. For the past five days the rare disease has been the main topic of conversation and concern across the town.

At the Rogers Mini Stop, Oologah residents look for a quick snack, and lately it's been a place to talk about the tragedy at the elementary school.

"Oh my gosh, it's been so sad. It's like, it could be the worst thing in the world, I couldn't imagine. I couldn't imagine," said Lisa Rogers, Business Owner.

With two children passed away and five others still in the hospital, town residents say there's no way to escape the worry.

"Well there's been real concern, people wondering if they've been exposed to it, not just children but also adults," said Mary West, an Oologah resident.

Tracy Carter has two children in Oologah schools.

"As a parent, I can't even imagine what those families are going through," said Tracy Carter, an Oologah resident.

3/16/2010  Related Story: Parents Of Oologah Meningitis Victim Agonize Over Sending Kids Back To School

She says residents in Oologah are wary of the warning signs for meningitis and the outbreak has them doing a double check every morning.

"Just still watching your kids. I ask my kids everyday how they feel and check in on them and make sure they don't have a rash," said Carter.

Oologah is mostly known as being the birthplace of Will Rogers. The historical museum is full of those memories and chronicles past tragedies. Curator Anne Wiggins says the wave of meningitis will be something talked about for generations.

"It will probably be about the same as some of the smaller towns that are hit by a tornado or the smallpox in the olden days, but a tornado probably. Everybody will pull together and they will get through it," said Anne Wiggins, Oologah Historical Museum.

That's a sentiment The News On 6 heard quite often, Oologah will make it through this difficult time.

"I think it's going to pull everybody together, I think it's going to make everybody stronger," said Rogers.

The residents The News On 6 spoke with Tuesday support the school system and health department and believe both have handled this situation appropriately.

The Rogers County Health Department is holding a meningitis vaccination clinic at Oologah Lower Elementary School Friday, 12-7 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. This clinic is for Oologah residents only, ages 2 to 55. The health department says the vaccine will not be available to those older than 55, because it hasn't been tested for patients in that age group.

3/16/2010  Related Story: Meningitis Vaccination Clinic To Be Held At Oologah Lower Elementary School

Public health officials stress that the general public is not at risk. Only persons who have had close, personal contact to a person with a meningococcal infection have a slightly increased risk of developing the disease.

Symptoms of meningococcal disease may appear two to ten days after infection. People ill with meningococcal septicemia may have fever, nausea, vomiting and a rash. People that are ill with meningitis will have fever, intense headache, nausea, vomiting and a stiff neck. Officials say it is important to seek care from a physician as soon as possible if these symptoms appear.

For more information on meningococcal disease, visit the Oklahoma State Department of Health Web site and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

 

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