Virginia MRSA Infections to Be Tracked From Now On
Posted on October 24, 2007
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Residents of Virginia and people around the nation are newly aware of the dangers of staph infections following the October 15th death of an otherwise healthy student at Staunton River High School in Moneta, Virginia. Since 17-year-old Ashton Bonds died due to complications from methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), citizens and government officials have been increasingly critical of Virginia’s lack of a statewide MRSA monitoring system.
Governor Timothy Kaine is launching a new initiative today that will require pathology labs to notify the state when cases of MRSA are confirmed. The Virginia Department of Health will organize the tracking of MRSA cases throughout the Commonwealth. The new data will allow government officials to respond quickly to outbreaks of the potentially deadly superbug.
Dozens of cases of MRSA have been reported in Virginia in recent weeks, the most recent coming today in Petersburg where the A.P. Hill Elementary School was closed for cleaning after a third grade girl contracted the infection. The school will reopen Thursday morning, and starting Friday, all other district schools will be thoroughly cleaned.
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