A sixth-grade boy died just hours after he showed up to school sick with ‘meningitis-like symptoms’.
Shorly after the boy arrived to Horizon Academy in Ocala, Florida, on Wednesday morning, he said he wasn’t feeling well.
Marion County Public Schools said the student got off the bus and went straight to the clinic, according to WKMG.
A sixth-grade boy died just hours after he showed up to school sick with ‘meningitis-like symptoms’. Shorly after the boy arrived to Horizon Academy (pictured) in Ocala, Florida, on Wednesday morning, he said he wasn’t feeling well
School officials then called 911, and the boy was taken to a local hospital, according to Kevin Christian, the public relations officer for Marion County Public Schools.
Christian said the boy was then transferred to another hospital, where he died.
The Department of Health in Marion County did not confirm what sickened the boy, but officials did tell school administrators that it’s not believed the boy was contagious
However, parents were still urged to keep a watchful eye on their children.
Health officials said parents should look for symptoms that include fever, headache, stiff neck, nausea and confusion. Should any students show symptoms, they should be taken to a doctor.
The student got off the bus and went straight to the clinic. School officials then called 911, and the boy was taken to a local hospital, according to Kevin Christian (pictured), the public relations officer for Marion County Public Schools. The child later died at a different hospital
‘We don’t believe that we’re dealing with any kind of mass outbreak or any kind of contagious situation, but because we don’t know that for certain, that’s why we took those precautions,’ Christian said.
‘Unfortunately, this is a situation where we have to depend on the experts to truly tell us what happened and what we need to do from this point,’ he added.
Christian said the school also sent out a voice message and email alerting parents of the child’s death.
Parents of students who had close contact with the boy ‘don’t need to be greatly concerned,’ Christian told reporters.
The student’s bus has been removed from service and the bus driver was not on duty Thursday.
School administrators said the school was cleaned thoroughly, although it was not decontaminated.
Sunrise Elementary, a nearby school where the student’s siblings attend, was also cleaned.
Grief counselors are also available at Horizon Academy. An investigation is ongoing.