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Another Case Of MRSA Confirmed At Hauppauge High School

HAUPPAUGE, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- A health alert has been issued to parents and students at Hauppauge High School after health officials confirmed another case of MRSA.

WCBS 880's Sophia Hall On The Story

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It has left parents saying not again, reports CBS 2's Derricke Dennis.

"And I have a child here, a child who's a student here at the school and she didn't mention it either," Michael Goldberg said.

School officials have not released the name or the condition of the student involved, but the scare is a familiar one.

Nick Mauriello was on a hospital ventilator back in February fighting for his life. The 16-year-old was a top wrestler at Hauppauge, but was hit with the bacterial infection, common among wrestlers where mats have to be scrubbed frequently and hygiene is emphasized.

The bacteria is harder to treat that most strains of staph, because it's resistant to common antibiotics. Symptoms are most often mild infections of the skin.

But not in Mauriello's case.

At the time, Nick's dad said the infection traveled through his blood and attacked his lungs and other vital organs.

"His heart rate was going through the roof. He was laying in bed breathing at a ridiculous rate," Nick Mauriello Sr. said.

The superintendent addressed this latest case in a letter to parents, saying "Our district has just been notified that there is a confirmed case of MRSA in the high school.

"In response to this, the district acted upon protocols to help guard against the spread of this bacterial infection, including sanitizing instructional areas."

"I'm sure they are, sure they are. I'm very happy with how they handle most incidents at the school, so I'm sure they're taking every precaution," parent Carrie Angelico said.

Word was just beginning to trickle out Wednesday night to parents of students at the school. Not all have received the letter, but many are alarmed that this is the second case of MRSA in less than a year.

"I'm concerned that it's the second time it has happened. And wondering whether it's related to wrestling again," Goldberg said.

Door handles, hallways and classrooms have already been scrubbed, with plans for the school to continue to operate as normal.

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