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Public health officials, while not confirming the case, are telling Calhoun County
residents not to worry over a report of necrotizing fasciitis, saying it does not pose a
problem.
Area TV stations came to Grantsville yesterday to interview citizens regarding their
reaction to the disease.
The Parkersburg News reported Tuesday "area health officials confirmed reports that
a Grantsville woman was diagnosed with a noncontiguous strain of necrotizing
fasciitis, or flesh eating disease." They did not identify the health officials. Reporter
William Scott said in today's edition "The husband of a Grantsville woman confirmed
she had a noncontiguous form of flesh eating disease."
The Associated Press, state newspapers and area TV stations have since reported
the disease as non-contagious.
Dr. David Avery, a Medical Director for the Mid-Ohio Valley Health Department was
asked to confirm whether or not this strain of necrotizing fasciitris was not
contagious. He said "The Mid-Ohio Valley Health Department has not had any reports
of necrotizing fasiitis given to us as of today (April 10)."
"This is a reportable condition, spread by direct contact, but we have no information
of a specific nature...and it would be confidential if we had any. General information
about the case would be available to the public, but nothing has been reported to us,"
he said.
The Hur Herald reported the West Virginia Center for Surveillance and Disease Control
would not confirm nor deny a case of necrotizing fasciitis. Center Director Dr. Loretta
Haddy said if such a case did exist, the agency "would make no recommendations for
contact risks with this disease."
Dr. Haddy said if a public health problem was evident with such a case, the public
would be notified.
The Parkersburg administrator for Grantsville's Head Start program, would not
respond to an information request, although local Head Start workers were advised
the disease did not pose a problem for them or the twenty children in their
program.
Mark Hewitt, a Physician's Assistant from Minnie Hamilton Health Care Center, will be
meeting with parents and staff at Calhoun Head Start Friday afternoon at 3:30 p.m.
Hewitt was an instructor in epidemiology training in the U. S. Army.
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