Health Officials Provide Antibiotics After Teacher's Meningitis Death

Officials of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health and the Los Angeles Unified School District are expected to work Monday to identify people who were in contact with a school employee who has died of bacterial meningitis so they can be given preventative doses of antibiotics.

Health officials have not released the name of the employee, but district officials confirmed the woman was a third-grade teacher at Montara Avenue Elementary School in South Gate. The Los Angeles Unified School District was notified late Friday about the cause of death.

"We realize that our teacher's death from a meningococcal bacteria-related illness may be causing concern," the LAUSD said in a statement. "However, we want to assure our students, families and employees that their health and safety remain the district's top priority."

Parents have said they want the campus cleaned before allowing their children back to school and plan to hold a protest on campus Monday morning. Some parents said they wanted the entire student body to receive the antibiotic instead of just people who were in close contact with the teacher. 

The germs that cause bacterial meningitis generally spread from contact with one person to another individual, usually through exchange of bodily fluids during close contact, like kissing or coughing on someone. The bacteria cannot survive outside of the body for very long.

Health officials met with parents early Monday at the school. Another meeting is planned for Monday night. 

NBC4's Jonathan Lloyd contributed to this report.

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