An Eaglecrest High School teacher died after she was believed to have been infected by bacterial meningitis.

The teacher, identified by the school district as Maddie Schmidt, according to Denver Gazette’s news partner 9News, died over the weekend after showing symptoms consistent with bacterial meningitis.

Jennifer Ludwig, public health director with the Arapahoe County Public Health Department, said at a press conference Wednesday the department learned about the case Tuesday through a lab-confirmed test.

The health department team is working closely with Cherry Creek School District to conduct contact tracing and identify close contacts, according to Ludwig.

The school district has been “fantastic” working with the department to provide contact names and spread the message, Ludwig said. 

As of Tuesday night, the department had made contact with ten people who were in close contact with Schmidt, according to Ludwig. Since then, “lots of calls” have been made to identify further contacts. 

The risk of disease spread to the general public is low, according to Arapahoe County Public Health Chief Medical Officer Chris Urbina. 

The disease is generally spread through droplets from a cough or sneeze and people have to be in “very close” contact, such as living or sharing food with an infected person, to spread it to one another, Urbina said. 

The droplets come in through the nose or mouth and bacteria invades cells, moves through the blood, spreads to the brain and causes “severe disease,” Urbina said. 

Bacterial meningitis is inflammation around the brain and spinal cord, causing quickly onset symptoms that can include headache, fever, nausea, vomiting and rash, according to Urbina.

“We are working very closely with Cherry Creek and the family to identify close contacts…very early,” Urbina said. “For the general public, the risk is low.”

A school district spokeswoman confirmed a second death to Denver Gazette news partner 9News. Judith Geoffroy, an Integrated Learning Center paraprofessional, also died over the weekend.

Autopsies were performed on both women, according to the Arapahoe County Coroner’s Office Wednesday. 

“The causes of their deaths are pending ancillary testing,” according to the release. “The presence or absence of bacterial meningitis will not be confirmed until those additional test results are final.”

The health department is only investigating one case at this time and could not speak to the second death, Ludwig said. 

Generally, the Arapahoe County Health Department sees about seven cases per year, Urbina said.

Antibiotic prophylaxis, when given early, can prevent the spread of bacterial meningitis — which is why the health department is working as quickly as possible to identify close contacts, Urbina said.

The case is under ongoing investigation to determine whether there is a greater risk to the public. 

Signs and symptoms of bacterial meningitis:

• High fever
• Severe headache
• Stiff neck
• Sleepiness
• Nausea/vomiting
• Loss of appetite
• Being disoriented, irritable, or confused
• Eyes sensitive to light
• Contagious Period and Spread

Bacteria that cause meningitis can be spread by direct contact with saliva or nose/throat discharges of a person with infection. Infected individuals who do not have symptoms can still pass the bacteria to others. Symptomatic cases can be contagious until completing 24 hours of antibiotic treatment.

Suspected cases of meningitis should be referred to a health care provider. State or local public health agencies will notify close contacts if a preventative antibiotic is needed. Cases of bacterial meningitis and bloodstream infections often require hospitalization and treatment with antibiotics.

For questions about bacterial meningitis, reach out to Arapahoe County Public Health at 303-795-HLTH (4584).

Denver Gazette’s news partner 9News contributed to this report.