• Viral meningitis Viral meningitis In response to the article written in Saturday’s The Garden Island about viral meningitis, there are some corrections that should be highlighted. First, Ms. Coon did an excellent job of advocating public-health hygienic practices, such
• Viral meningitis
Viral meningitis
In response to the article written in Saturday’s The Garden Island about viral meningitis, there are some corrections that should be highlighted.
First, Ms. Coon did an excellent job of advocating public-health hygienic practices, such as hand-washing, as a way to minimize further cases.
Since the virus is passed from human to human through the fecal-oral route, hand-washing (especially after personal contact) is the best way to minimize virus transmission.
It was written that there have been over 100 cases “reported” of viral meningitis on the island.
This statement is erroneous.
When using medical terminology, there is a difference between “reporting” and “diagnosing.”
True, there may be over 100 cases diagnosed (by the physician seeing a patient), but I am the county epidemiologist for the (state) Department of Health and there have been only 23 cases reported to the state health department.
Now, viral meningitis is not a reportable disease to the Hawai‘i Department of Health, but we will report when there is an influx of cases, as in this instance.
- Bioterrorism Epidemiologist
- Kauai District Health Office, Lihu‘e
