Lifetime Fitness employee with bacterial meningitis worked kids day camp

An employee of Lifetime Fitness who contracted bacterial meningitis worked with children.

The employee, who is a Macomb County resident, worked at a day camp with 219 children from July 1 to July 11 at the Rochester Hills Lifetime Fitness. 

Oakland County Health Division officials held a press conference Wednesday night where they announced their findings (watch in player above). Bacterial meningitis can be spread with nasal or oral secretions. 

Parents of children should have an assessment at a ready care clinic or family doctor, Oakland County health officials said. That adult employee is hospitalized but they will not be named due to privacy and health laws.

Fever, severe headache, nausea or vomiting, confusion, weakness and a stiff neck or back are the symptoms. Persons who may have been exposed could develop symptoms of meningococcal disease at any time until July 21.

"The disease is not spread through casual contact or by simply being in the same room as an infected person, said Kathy Forzley, manager, health officer of the Health Division. "A person must have direct contact with an infected person's saliva or nasal secretions. If exposed the incubation period is one to 10 days."

Health officials said that the illness can be prevented with antibiotics after exposure.

"People who have been contacted by Lifetime Fitness and told they have potentially been a contact to this case should receive antibiotics immediately," said Dr. Pamela Hackert, Oakland County Health Division.

For more information call the Oakland County  nurse on call from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at  1-800-848-5533 or noc@oakgov.com.  For more information on bacterial meningitis go to oakgov.com/health

Those in the Macomb County Health Division can call (586) 469-5235.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, meningitis is an inflammation of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord.

To reduce the risk of it being spread, campers and staff are advised not to share items that come into contact with another person's saliva, such as foods, drinks, lipstick or lip balm or cigarettes.