Health Agency Sees Jump in Meningitis Cases : Outbreak: Cases of mild strain inexplicably more than double last year’s figure. Hoag Hospital temporarily closes its employee child-care center after some parents are diagnosed with the virus.

Health officials on Friday reported a dramatic surge this year in the number of reported cases of a mild strain of meningitis in Orange County, particularly among young children.

Earlier this week, Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach was forced to shut down its employee child-care center after several of the children’s parents were diagnosed as having aseptic meningitis, according to hospital officials. The hospital, which shut down the center late Thursday, will keep the child-care facility closed until July 27 to give the virus the recommended 10-day period to run its course.

This kind of meningitis is rarely fatal; it causes symptoms such as headaches, a stiff neck, fever, nausea and a loss of appetite, said Dr. George Gellert, deputy health officer for the County Health Care Agency. The strain is usually not as dangerous as bacterial meningitis, which can be deadly if not treated.

“It can be serious but it will frequently be resolved on its own,” Gellert said, adding that outbreaks of aseptic meningitis are typically more common during the summer months.

So far, 184 cases of aseptic meningitis have been reported in the county this year. In comparison, 198 cases of the virus were reported for all of 1991, according to county health officials.

The officials said they are still trying to determine why the outbreak has hit so hard locally.

The number of cases reported so far have more than doubled compared to the same period last year. According to health officials, Orange County has one of the highest incidents of aseptic meningitis in the state. Statewide, the number of cases reported are up by an average of 50%.

“The numbers really began to take off toward the end of March,” said Hildy Meyers, an epidemiologist for the Health Care Agency. “The peak month for reported cases of this type of meningitis is usually August, so we can expect this to go on for a while longer.”

The virus can be transmitted through poor hygiene or through respiratory infections, according to health officials. Young children are especially susceptible. About 40% of the local cases this year have involved young children less than a year old, Meyers said.

“People need to cover their mouths when they cough or sneeze and they need to make sure that their kids are washing their hands,” she said.

In addition to meticulous hand-washing, health officials also recommended that parents disinfect toys and not share eating utensils with their children. The virus is easily spread because adults are often unaware that they are infected.

“We are adopting a conservative approach and consider this in the best interest of the hospital, our employees and their families,” said Larry Ainsworth, Hoag Hospital’s executive vice president, referring to the temporary closure of its child-care center.

Hospital officials said none of the 130 children enrolled at the center had become ill. However, an undisclosed number of parents apparently contracted the virus. Officials would not say how many adults had been diagnosed with the virus.