SPARTANBURG COUNTY, S.C. -- The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control said it is investigating a possible case of meningitis in Spartanburg County.

Spartanburg County District Four Superintendent Dr. Rallie Liston said a fourth-grader at Woodruff Elementary died on Wednesday.

Liston said there has not been confirmation that the child’s death was caused by meningitis. Liston said there is no safety issue at Woodruff Elementary School.

Liston said the classroom, bus and any other areas of the school the child may have come into contact with have been sterilized.

DHEC spokesman Adam Myrick said the department is in the early stages of an investigation. He said there is no need for the general public to panic.

The following is the text of the letter that was sent out by the Department of Health and Environmental Control. This letter was sent to FOX Carolina News from Spartanburg County School District Four:

March 5, 2009

Dear Parent/Caregiver:

SC DHEC Region 2 has received a report that a child who attends Woodruff Elementary is suspected of having a probable case of meningococcal disease, an infection which is due to bacteria called Neisseria meningitidis.

The Neisseria meningitidis is spread from person to person by direct contact with the respiratory droplets or oral secretions of an infected person. We do not believe your child is at increased risk of disease. People with casual contact to an infected person, such as classmates and co-workers, are at no more risk than the general population in the same age group. The Health Department follows the advice of the American Academy of Pediatrics, the US Public Health Service, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in planning for the prevention of cases. Preventive medication is not recommended for the entire school or even the student's classmates.

At anyone time in a community (school, town, state), many people carry the meningococcus in their nose and throat but do not become sick. Spreading of the meningococcal bacteria usually occurs from those who carry the bacteria but are not sick. Although carriers are common, fortunately meningococcal disease is rare.

Symptoms of meningococcal disease may include the sudden onset of high fever, chills, headache, altered mental status, occasionally a rash, nausea, vomiting, and a very ill appearance. If your child has any of these symptoms they should be seen by their doctor.

If you have questions, you may contact your child's health care provider or Millie Wyse at the Spartanburg County Health Department at 596-2227 Ext 210.