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MRSA strain of staph found in Newton County school
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A student at Middle Ridge Elementary School was recently treated for the serious MRSA, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, strain of staph infection.

According to Sherri Viniard, Newton County Schools' director of public relations, the student was treated and returned to class Tuesday.

"All of the items in the child's classroom were thoroughly cleaned and disinfected on Friday and letters were sent home with all Middle Ridge students to make parents aware of the situation," Viniard reported. "No other cases have been reported."

The grade of the student has not been released.

Staph infections have broken out in schools across the country in recent weeks.

In Georgia, a suburban Atlanta couple reported to the Associated Press their 7-week-old child died in August from an antibiotic-resistant staph infection.

 Three students at Austin Road Middle School in Stockbridge, a student at Columbia High in DeKalb County and three cases in Fulton County were treated in October. Nine other cases of infection were previously reported in Henry County Schools this school year.

Another middle school in Wrightsville in central Georgia was cleaned after two students there were diagnosed.

Two students at North Cobb High School in Kennesaw, two students at Osborne High School in Marietta and one student at Southside High School in Atlanta were also treated for MRSA infections in October.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.