48 Students Being Tested After Iona Meningitis Scare

19-year-old man hospitalized Wednesday

Dozens of local college students are being monitored for signs of meningitis after one of their schoolmates got sick this week.

Officials in New Rochelle said there's reason for concern -- but not panic -- around the Iona College community.

"Everyone is really shocked," Iona sophomore Colleen Cunningham said. "He just thought he had the flu.

Cunningham said her friend was admitted to a local hospital for what health officials believe is a case of bacterial meningitis. Westchester Health Commissioner Dr. Joshua Lipsman described how serious the disease can be.

"It is a very deadly disease," he said. "It has a 10 to 15 percent fatality rate and even people who survive can have serious effects, lost of limbs, neurological effects, hearing loss."

Cunningham said she and many others are hoping their friend pulls through.

"He's one of a kind," she said. "If you don't know him, it's your loss. He's a great person."

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