More Local Schools Announce New MRSA Cases

After a week of highly publicized reports of MRSA outbreaks across the country and in the Capital District, more schools in the region are reporting new cases of the infection.

At Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake High School, one female student was sent home Thursday after a skin infection was confirmed to be Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus, a contagious infection that is carried on the skin and in the nose.

The school said she was at home Friday being treated for the infection.

The high school is the second in Saratoga County this week to report students diagnosed with MRSA. On Wednesday, Ballston Spa High School said two students had contracted MRSA in early September and early October.

Both schools said they were working with the Saratoga County Health Department to monitor the situation and implement preventive measures.

Guilderland High School also said Friday a student -- who is not an athlete -- had been diagnosed with MRSA Thursday afternoon after the school day was over.

School officials said they had already implemented sanitizing measures and were working closely with the Albany County Health Department to address the situation.

The Salem Central school district announced Friday that a student had been diagnosed with MRSA as well. It did not specify which school the student attended, but did say the student did not attend school this week.

Watervliet Elementary School said it discovered a student had been affected by MRSA last month. The student was treated by a doctor and stayed out of school for the duration of the infection.

"The district has contacted the Albany County Health Department and has been assured that this case does not in any way increase the risk to the school community, as any germs that may have been introduced into the school by the infected student have long since died," said Paul Padalino, schools superintendent.

"The district is happy that the family decided to inform us of the student's illness, even if it poses no increased risk now."

The Mohonasen Central school district in Rotterdam also announced Friday it had confirmed cases of MRSA, one at Draper Middle School and one at the high school.

District officials did not indicate how recent those cases were.