PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) — The Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers’ Association (TTUTA) yesterday expressed concerns for the safety of teachers at a primary school where a female student died, reportedly of meningitis, over the weekend.

The Ministry of Education has so far not issued any official statement regarding the death of the primary school student at Fifth Company Baptist Primary School, but her father is reported to have visited the school informing the officials that a relative of the child had also died from meningitis recently.

TTUTA President Lynsley Doodhai, speaking on a radio programme here, said that his union wants the building to be properly sanitised.

“It is common knowledge that the disease can be spread from one person to another through contact. I understand the child was at school up to Monday last week, so there is a concern for those persons whom the child may have come into contact.”

He said that out of a student population of 525, just over 190 had attended classes this morning “and at this point in time parents are removing their children from the school.

“The situation at the school is not normal,” he added.

Meningitis is an inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord. The swelling from meningitis typically triggers symptoms such as headache, fever and a stiff neck.

Most cases of meningitis are caused by a viral infection, but bacterial, parasitic and fungal infections are other causes. Some cases of meningitis improve without treatment in a few weeks. Others can be life-threatening and require emergency antibiotic treatment.

Doodhai said that the union had also been “reliably informed” that the medical personnel who were treating the student had also been given antibiotics.