Student dies in third meningitis case on campus this school year

COLUMBUS, OH — Andrea Robinson, an 18-year-old freshman at Ohio University, died after being hospitalized with bacterial meningitis, the third case for the school this academic year, according to the Columbus Dispatch.

According to the study, custodians have been busy cleaning and sanitizing Robinson's dorm room and common areas at the on-campus house where she lived in an attempt to ward of any additional cases of the deadly disease that infects the linings of the brain and spinal cord and attacks quickly.

Earlier this month, a student living in a different residence hall contracted the disease but recovered and returned to campus, and officials say there doesn't seem to be any connection between the two students, the story stated.

A third student who contracted the disease in October of 2009 also recovered, the story noted.

The university, although not legally required to do so, has elected to make the information regarding the illnesses public, the story stated.

Dean of Students Ryan Lombardi said: "Our philosophical approach has been that any time there is a reason for a public-health concern, we do our best to share the information that we can with our population so they can take steps to protect themselves."

Lombardi was told by a parent that it seemed the university had more cases of meningitis than other schools, but he said that may be due to other schools electing not to report instances to the public, the story added.

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