Meningitis outbreak hits Waterloo

Black Hawk County health officials say three meningitis cases are now confirmed in patients in the Waterloo area who range in age from 13 to 18. County health director Tom O’Rourke says it doesn’t appear the three cases are related.O’Rourke explains a bit of what meningitis is — and says there can be outbreaks of the disease, but it’s NOT likely in this instance.The patients are only identified as a 13-year-old Waterloo boy, a 15-year-old Hudson girl and an 18-year-old Hudson man. They’re all hospitalized either in Iowa City or Waterloo. O’Rourke says it’s not known how bad off these three patients may be.O’Rourke says the disease may be the rare and potentially-deadly bacterial form of meningitis, but he’s waiting on more tests.