BRUCE C. STRONG/The Orange County Register

FINDING COMFORT: Christine Morgenstern, center right, is hugged by Daniella Bolzmann after classes at Costa Mesa High School let out Monday.

Feb. 4, 1997

When a young classmate dies

DISEASE: Some Costa Mesa High seventh-graders stay home, but others defy their fear to share the grief of losing a friend to a rare infection.

By JOHN GITTELSOHN and SUSAN KELLEHER
The Orange County Register

One classmate is dead. Another lies in the hospital. And no one can explain why the bacteria struck them down.

Monday was the first day of classes at Costa Mesa High School since seventh-grader Kori Emer, 12, died of meningococcemia and a female classmate fell critically ill with the bacterial infection.

Many parents kept their kids home, concerned about their safety. About half of the seventh-graders were missing in several classes, school officials said.

But many students said they defied fear to find comfort with classmates and share the grief of losing a friend.

"My mom didn't want me to come to school this morning, but I wanted to, to see if (Kori) was really dead," said Christine Morgenstern, 12, who clung to a cluster of crying friends in the school parking lot.

"It's hard to be alone when somebody dies," said Daniella Bolzmann, 13.

Health officials said the school was safe despite two cases of the rare infection in such close proximity. They expect test results later this week to determine if the two girls were infected by the same strain of the bacteria.

If a third case develops, officials might recommend schoolwide vaccinations or treatment with the antibiotic rifampin for two days to kill off meningococcemia bacteria that may be in the body.

"Vaccination takes 10 days to stimulate immunity, so it wouldn't immediately halt an outbreak," said Hildy Meyers, Orange County epidemiologist. "It's just one possibility."

For now, health officials say there is no official outbreak. They are recommending treatment only for people with close contact with the victims.

The family of the ill girl, who was listed in critical condition at Children's Hospital of Orange County, declined to release her identity. But Costa Mesa High principal Andrew Hernandez said he would tell concerned parents if their children had a class with the girl.

News reports of the two girls' illness, the Jan. 16 death of Esther Mehee Yi, 8, of Garden Grove and the illness of Bryan Owen, 18, of Fullerton have sparked fears throughout Orange County. A CHOC hot line has received more than 1,000 calls since news of the bacteria broke Friday.

Several school districts issued advisories to parents Monday on how to detect the symptoms.

Costa Mesa High teachers spent much of the day discussing the bacteria with students. Sophomore Joisy Rodriguez said one of her teachers asked students to wipe off their desks if it made them feel safer from germs.

"People came up to me and asked if they can have a sip of my soda and I'm like, `Don't even think about it,' " said Christine Caron, a friend of Emer's since sixth grade.

Caron couldn't sleep Sunday night. So she wrote a poem to her friend.

Why this would happen to you makes no sense.

We found this disease at a big expense.

An expense that no one should have to pay.

Don't worry about us we will just try to hold on to yesterday.

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