Meningitis alert

At Princeton University, a seventh case of a student contracting meningitis was reported on Nov. 10, leading the university to declare an outbreak of the illness, according to an article from The New York Daily News.

Meningitis is spread through kissing or sharing cups or utensils with an infected person, or through coughing. Most bacteria isn’t as contagious as the common cold flu, according to Lynn Eiding and Pat Sheridan, both from Rider’s health services. Although there have not been any meningitis cases reported on Rider’s Lawrenceville or Westminster campuses, “students need to be aware of the symptoms,” according to Eiding and Sheridan. Symptoms of meningitis include high fever, headache, vomiting, rash, sensitivity to light, chills or a stiff neck.

Students are encouraged to wash their hands frequently, eat well, get the proper amount of rest and seek treatment if they are feeling sick.

“We will continue to monitor the situation at Princeton University and we will keep students informed if anything changes in either of our campuses,” said Eiding and Sheridan.