LINCOLNTON, N.C. -- Gaston College school officials have called a specialized company to perform cleaning and disinfecting services at Gaston College's cosmetology department.
School officials say the first case was of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) was reported on November 30 be a student in the cosmetology program at its Lincoln Campus. The student was not allowed to return to the program until cleared by their physician, authorities say.
The next day, a second student in the program reported MRSA; they, too, were sent home until cleared by a physician.
At this point, the College temporarily relocated the program and the sanitation department worked to disinfect the area. There were no new cases reported for the next week, however, two additional cases were reported on Wednesday.
The college has since hired a specialized company to perform an extensive disinfecting of the area. Students have been instructed to contact their doctors should they have any symptoms associated with MRSA.
According to the Center for Disease Control, MRSA is a very common germ that about one out of every three people have on their skin or in their nose. This germ does not cause any problems for most people who have it on their skin, but sometimes it can cause skin and other infections. MRSA is spread by having direct contact with another person's infection or by touching surfaces or items that have been contaminated.
