Health officials in Rockland say a visitor from Argentina has died after getting sick with bacterial meningitis.
The victim was in Rockland County visiting relatives for the holidays and was taken to a Nyack Hospital Monday morning after getting sick, officials said.
Officials have not identified the man, who died at the hospital.
"Bacterial meningitis quickly turns from cold-like symptoms and can then be deadly," Dr. Robert Glatter, of Lenox Hill Hospital, said.
The health department has identified people who have had direct contact with the patient, and prescribed post-exposure antibiotics.
The CDC is in the process of reaching out to fellow airline passengers and crew who may have come into contact with him out of an abundance of caution.
Officials say there are no additional community contacts or exposures of concern in Rockland, and no risk of further spread of meningitis to locals.
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The Rockland County Executive's office released a statement Monday, in which it said, "There are no additional community contacts or exposures of concern in Rockland County. There is no risk of further spread of meningitis to local residents."
Bacterial meningitis can be spread through the exchange of respiratory and throat secretions, but most of the bacteria that cause meningitis are not as contagious as viruses that cause the common cold or the flu, according to the CDC.
