A West Chester University student who visited the Penn State campus this past weekend and was admitted to Chester County Hospital on Feb. 4 with meningococcal meningitis died Wednesday night, a public relations official at West Chester University wrote in an email Thursday.
"I am very saddened and so sorry to report that our student, Mr. Sean Casey, passed away as a result of the bacterial meningitis. Sean was an outstanding Honors Program student in his third year of studies at West Chester University in the College of Visual & Performing arts," West Chester University President Greg Weisenstein said in a statement to students at the university Thursday.
Casey was also a member of the Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Musical Fraternity and Honors Student Association, according to the statement.
Casey spent the weekend at Penn State for a conference, as previously reported.
Meningococcal meningitis is a form of bacterial meningitis that may develop rapidly but that can be treated with antibiotics, according to press release issued by Penn State Live Tuesday. Symptoms can include fever, severe headache, stiff neck, nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to bright lights, confusion and lethargy. Symptoms can develop quickly and it is important to get medical care as soon as possible, according to the release.
