Heredia Industrial Park Centre of Meningitis Investigation
The "zona franca" (free zone) Global Park, located in Heredia, is once again the centre of investigation by the Ministerio de Salud (Health Ministry). During the next coming weeks, Salud officials will be examining the 8.500 workers of the industrial park.

The investigation and examination is to know for sure what is happening at Global Park, the centre of the Meningitis cases reported this year that has led to several deaths.

Salud officials will be taking samples to determine exactly how many meningitis carriers there are. According to María Luisa Ávila, Minister of Health, 25% to 35% of the population carry the bacteria. "Once we have identified the type of bacteria, we will be studying it to see if we are dealing with the same strain. If so, we can track it and locate the source origin and deal with it", said Ávila.

The minister added that there is no cause for alarm or the need for a quarantine because the number of cases reported is low.

Two youths who worked at Global Park died from meningitis. The minister added that that is where they will begin their search to determine the cause of the presence of the bacteria.

To date this year there have been 16 cases reported of meningitis. In the last several years only 12 to 14 cases per year where reported, leading the health ministry to worry about the situation.

Meningitis is a life-threatening diseases. Know the Symptoms
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What is Meningitis?
Meningitis is an inflammation of the meninges, the membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord.

The inflammation is usually caused by bacteria or viruses (viral meningitis is also called aseptic meningitis).

Less common causes include fungi, protozoa, and other parasites.

Sometimes certain medications, cancers, or other diseases can inflame the meninges, although such noninfectious cases of meningitis are much rarer.

Contagiousness
Most cases of meningitis result from infections that are contagious. The infectious agents usually spread from person to person in tiny drops of fluid from the throat and nose of someone who is infected. (This could be a person with either meningitis or, more likely, the common infection caused by that germ.)

The drops may become airborne when the person coughs, laughs, talks, or sneezes. They then can infect others when people breathe them in or touch the drops and then touch their own noses or mouths.