No Additional Cases Of Bacterial Meningitis Reported

Acting Rockland County Health Commissioner Kathleen Henry said laboratory tests on the bacterial meningitis that killed a 12-year-old Spring Valley girl on Saturday have ruled out the meningococcal which is the only strain that transmits the disease. 

Chrissy Gabriel, who attended sixth grade at St. Gregory Barbarigo School in Garnerville, passed away Saturday from bacterial meningitis. An autopsy was conducted the following day, which determined she died from bacterial meningitis leading the county health department to identify and contact people who had come into close contact with her during the previous week. A total of 33 people were notified on Sunday and offered prophylactic antibiotics by the county health department. No one else has exhibited symptoms said Henry on Wednesday.

“We have ruled out that it was the meningococcal strain,” said Henry. “But we don’t have the final testing report.”

Henry explained the meningococcal strain is highly transmissible and spreads easier than other strains. 

“The fact that we know it was not meningococcal, there is no concern that it was spread person to person,” she said. “It also means that we don’t have to be concerned about providing prophylaxis.”

However, she noted that the 33 people identified as having been in close proximity to Gabriel had all finished their regime of antibiotics on Tuesday. They included classmates and teachers . Henry said the school, which is not open this week, was being cleaned using the same type of process as after a flu outbreak.

She did not know how long it would take for the final report determining the exact bacteria to be completed. 

Visitation hours for Chrissy Gabriel will be held at Sniffen Sagala Funeral Home on Friday from 6 to 9 p.m. The funeral home is located at 235 West Route 59 in Spring Valley. A funeral service will be held on Saturday at 9 a.m. at United Methodist Church at 2 South Madison Avenue in Spring Valley.