PINEVILLE, W.Va. — The Wyoming County Health Department confirms that staph infections are the culprit for the skin rashes and infections experienced by students this week.
Wyoming County Schools cancelled all classes and extracurricular activities in all facilities on Tuesday out of caution. Professional crews from ServPro performed deep cleaning at Wyoming East and Westside high schools, along with Mullens Elementary-Middle School — where cases hadbeen discovered. Custodians at the rest of the county’s schools brought back COVID-era cleaning to battle the health concern.
The county health department said that, included in the staph infections, is MRSA (methicillin-resident Staphylococcus aureus). Both MRSA and Staph bacteria can be spread through “direct skin-to-skin contact” such as contact sports, the health department said. Further, it explained that “shared towels, personal care items, or athletic equipment” can transmit the bacteria.
Wyoming East, Westside, and Mullens will be closed through Friday. The rest of the schools in Wyoming County reopened on Wednesday.
The health department noted that MRSA and Staph on skin is normal; it oftentimes doesn’t result in illness or infection. Cuts, scrapes, or other such openings open up risk for illness or infection, the WCHD said.
Health officials did offer four tips to slow the spread of the skin bacteria:
1. Monitor yourself or others for experience of “new or unexplained rashes, sores, or skin lesions.” In the event those occur, health officials encourage seeking medical help.
2. Schools don’t need to be closed to battle Staph or MRSA, as it isn’t communicable through the air; just direct skin-to-skin contact.
3. Promote consistent handwashing through stocking plenty of soap, prevent against shared use of towels.
4. Continue “routine environmental cleaning,” particularly on common surfaces and equipment, as well as in bathrooms, locker rooms, and athletic buildings.