Vermilion County Girl with Suspected Bacterial Meningitis Dies

A two year old girl who came down with a suspected case of bacterial meningitis has died, two days after first displaying symptoms.

Carle Foundation Hospital confirms the death of Kyla Kinney. Health officials in Vermilion County say she was brought to the hospital in Hoopeston Tuesday with symptoms of the contagious disease, which inflames the membranes around the brain and spinal cord and can be fatal.

Vermilion County Public Health Administrator Steve Laker says the toddler's family has been given prophylaxis, or an oral medication against bacterial meningitis - so have people involved in the toddler's day care. He says it will take time to see if anything else needs to be done.

"It is a disease that can be sporadic, so it is hard to prevent", says Laker. "When you do have a case occur, one of the first considerations --- is there a necessity of doing prophylaxis?"

Laker says the particular bacteria suspected in this case can harbor themselves in some people without causing symptoms, only to infect someone else with the disease.