2 More Staph Infections Found At Las Cruces School

LAS CRUCES, NM. – ABC-7 has learned two more students in Las Cruces have been infected with the staph bacteria.

Las Cruces Public School officials say two male student athletes contracted staph on two different and isolated occasions. They were treated immediately by their physicians and were allowed to return to school.

Superinitendent Stan Rounds tells ABC-7 that “there is no outbreak” and they can’t say where these students came down with the infection.

Mayfield Principal Chris Cook said because of the heightened awareness about the communicable bacteria, he felt it was important to acknowledge the isolated cases and also give Mayfield students and parents prevention information.

“We don’t know where or how the students acquired the bacteria, but there’s basic guidelines that we encourage our students to follow,” Cook said. “There’s no reason for parents to be worried, but everyone should make an extra effort to keep themselves healthy.”

As a precautionary measure – there will be extra cleaning this weekend of all facilities at mayfield with an emphasis on the athletic facility. Officials say they wanted to let parents know to help them take the measures needed to prevent coming down with staph and they do not need to be worried.

“In reviewing the daily routine of these students, it’s our estimation that there was no exposure of the bacteria,” said Rounds. “But, as a precautionary measure, additional cleaning will be conducted within the football facilities.”

Rounds said the jointly used athletic locker rooms at the LCPS Field of Dreams also will be deeply cleaned.

Cook said a letter to the parents of football team members was sent home with students today. It asks them to follow the same type of procedures that Oate High School disseminated to its parents on Thursday.

The procedures are: do not share towels, washcloths or personal items such as razors; use clean towels; shower and wash hands with soap frequently; and have all wounds properly covered.

The letter also gives specific suggestions for athletes, such as cleaning their practice uniforms and equipment regularly and it encourages them to have athletic trainers ensure that any wounds they may have are properly covered.

According to a Mayo Clinic website, “staph bacteria are normally found on the skin or in the nose of about one-third of the population.” It also reports that “staph bacteria are generally harmless unless they enter the body through a cut or other wound, and even then they often cause only minor skin problems in healthy people.”

School district officials encourage all parents to notify their physician if their child has an unusual skin rash or suspicious skin infection. Due to federal privacy laws and school district policy, names of students who have had a staph infection cannot be disclosed.

Infections of this nature are not required to be reported to the Department of Health and unless a parent notifies the school, we may never know that a child has, or has had, the infection,” Rounds added. “Awareness about this germ becomes one of our best ways to fight it.”

ABC-7 will have the latest on our 6, and 10 o’clock newscasts and here on KVIA.com