Photo: Google Street View

A student from Kalamalka Secondary School has meningitis but no other cases have been reported.

A Vernon teenager has been fighting for her life at a Vancouver hospital with a serious case of meningitis, according to a relative.

The teen, who goes to Kalamalka Secondary School, underwent surgery Friday night to ease the pressure on her brain, the relative said. The family do not want the teenager identified.

No other cases of the illness have been reported.

An Interior Health notice sent out to parents on Dec. 8th stated “the risk to the general school population is very low.”

“Any person who has been identified as a close contact will receive a phone call from the Interior Health Communicable Disease Unit as part of routine follow up,” Karin Goodale, IH medical health officer, said in the letter.

Meningitis is an inflammation of the lining around the brain and spinal cord, which occurs most often in children, teens and young adults.

Symptoms include:

• sudden onset of high fever
• severe headache
• nausea and vomiting
• stiff neck
• drowsiness or confusion
• seizures

Anyone with the above symptoms should see a doctor, said IH.

If you have any questions or are concerned you are a contact of this case, please contact the Vernon Health Centre at 250-549-5700, Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. or 811 for after hours and weekends.

For more information on meningitis visit HealthLinkBC.