Oceanport Town Hall Closed For Cleaning After Bacteria Found

OCEANPORT, NJ - Oceanport officials have voluntarily closed Borough Hall today, so the building can be throughly sanitized after a nasty strain of bacteria was discovered.

"Due to an unforeseen emergent situation, the Borough Offices will be closed today, March 8, 2018, in order to perform a precautionary cleaning of the building," according to a statement on the borough website

The Monmouth County Health Department announced today that one case of Haemophilus Influenza was recently diagnosed in the county. But health department officials say they are forbidden by HIPPA laws from releasing where the case was diagnosed and if it was in the Oceanport Town Hall.

However, the health department provided recommendations on surface cleaning and sanitization to Oceanport officials.

Oceanport made the decision to close Town Hall for today, not the health department, a health department spokesperson said.

“The bacteria - known as Haemophilus Influenzae, HIB for short - is not airborne, it is preventable and can be treated with antibiotics,” County Public Health Coordinator Christopher Merkel said.

The bacteria causes infections with symptoms like cold, cough and fever, but sometimes causes more serious infections like pneumonia and meningitis. Monmouth County residents should not confuse Haemophilus Influenzae with seasonal flu, which is now occurring in New Jersey.

The most common type of invasive HIB is meningitis, which can affect the membranes of the spinal cord and brain and usually affects babies and young children, according to the Centers for Disease Control website.

There are six different types of the bacteria, which can all cause illness, but type B can cause severe disease in babies and young children who have not received the HIB vaccine, the CDC says.

People with long-term medical conditions or weak immune systems are at also at higher risk for HIB.

HIB dropped by 95 percent after the development of the HIB vaccine developed in 1988.

The HIB bacteria can be spread from person to person, especially from the mucus or saliva of infected person who did not receive the vaccine, the CDC says.

“Regardless of the type of illness, the recommendations remain the same for all residents,” said Freeholder Patrick Impreveduto, liaison to the Monmouth County Health Department. “You need to be sure that you wash your hands thoroughly to protect yourself from germs and cover your nose and mouth with a tissue or your sleeve when you cough or sneeze. If soap and water are not available and you are using a hand sanitizer be sure it is at least 60 percent alcohol. You should also avoid close contact with people who are sick. And if you are sick, be sure to stay home.”

For additional questions, please contact the Monmouth County Department of Health at 732-431-7456, ext. 8580. More information about Haemophilus Influenzae is available from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention website at http://nj.gov/health/cd/documents/faq/haemophilus_faq.pdf.