UW-Eau Claire Mourns Student Death

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This information is being distributed to all UW-Eau Claire faculty, staff and students.
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       The UW-Eau Claire campus community is deeply saddened by the death Sunday, April 21, of Sean Coleman, a sophomore computer science major from Rib Lake who lived in Katherine Thomas Hall.
       Sean died at Sacred Hearth Hospital in Eau Claire of complications related to bacterial meningococcal disease. He was admitted to the hospital around noon Sunday and died later that afternoon.
       As a precautionary measure, university officials are offering (at no cost) the antibiotic Cipro to students in Thomas Hall and others who may have had intimate contact with Coleman within the last week.
       Health officials emphasize that meningococcal disease is contagious but not through general contact. To be exposed, a person must have direct contact with the carrier, including exposure to saliva or other bodily secretions. Simply being close to or sitting next to a carrier will not cause you risk. Even with direct contact, the chances of contracting the disease are low, physicians say.
       If you have questions or concerns, please contact Health Services at 836-4311 or Counseling Services at 836-5521.
       For your information, attached is the information released by the News Bureau to the media regarding Sean Coleman’s death.

  [News Bureau]

Updated: April 25, 2002