Broward schools sanitized over MRSA concerns

Broward schools spent the weekend scrubbing their gyms and locker rooms after learning of multiple cases of wrestlers possibly having the bacterial infection MRSA.

District spokeswoman Kathy Koch said there were “four or five” students suspected of having the infection, but she couldn’t say if they were all from one school or multiple schools. Parents

at seven high schools received notices this weekend: Cooper City High, Miramar High, Monarch High in Coconut Creek, Nova High in Davie, J.P. Taravella High in Coral Springs, West Broward High and Western High.

These are schools where wrestlers may have been in contact with the affected students during wrestling matches, Koch said. But other high schools were affected as well, as the district was cleansing athletic facilities at all 33 high schools this past weekend.

“The district immediately began implementing measures to clean equipment, weight rooms, locker rooms including shower areas, gymnasiums and wrestling areas at all high schools,” Koch said.

All basketball games and wrestling matches that were scheduled for Friday were canceled, including a Big 8 tournament semifinals at South Plantation High School, which was postponed to the next day. The scheduled semifinals — Nova vs. Blanche Ely High and Dillard High vs. St. Thomas Aquinas High — were held Saturday at South Plantation.

A Broward County Athletic Association wrestling tournament planned for Friday and Saturday at Pompano Beach High was postponed but a new date hasn’t been set, said Rocky Gillis, the district’s athletic director.

Friday’s cancellations were a joint decision of the district and the county Health Department, Koch said.

Koch said she didn’t have details on how long ago the students may have contracted the infection.

“They were treated as active cases. This type of staph infection has occurred in the past,” she

said. “There isn’t a chance of it spreading throughout the district because it is only contracted by touch.”

District protocol is for “anyone exhibiting the signs or symptoms, or has been diagnosed with MRSA, must have a note from their health care provider to return to work/ school,” according to a letter sent to parents this weekend by the seven most affected schools.

Wrestling parents at these schools “have been asked to consult their health care provider to confirm there are no signs of a staph infection,” Koch said. “The district will also offer health care professionals to provide screenings, at no charge, to student wrestlers from these same schools.”

MRSA is a type of bacterial infection found on the skin. Although it’s resistant to many antibiotics, it is treatable, the district letter tells parents.

The infections may look like a pimple or a boil and can be red, swollen, painful, or have pus or other drainage. The most common sites on the body where it occurs are areas covered by hair, including the back of the neck, groin, buttock, armpit and beard, the letter says.

It’s not contracted through the air and is usually transmitted through direct skin-to-skin contact or contact with shared items or surfaces, such as towels, bandages and razors, the letter says.