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Sports events canceled over viral meningitis at Lake Geneva Badger High School

LAKE GENEVA — Three confirmed cases of viral meningitis have prompted school officials to postpone two sporting events.

On Friday, Jim Kluge, athletic director for Lake Geneva Badger High School confirmed that two football players and one soccer player, all boys, were sick with the infection.

No one has been hospitalized.

“Everybody’s fine,” Kluge said. “We actually have gone three days now with no new kids coming up sick, so I believe all three have been cleared to compete sometime in the next week or two.”

School officials have been working all week with the school doctor, the WIAA’s sports medicine board and the Walworth County Department of Health and Human Services.

Meningitis is an inflammation of the tissues that cover the brain and spinal column, according to the Wisconsin Department of Health.

Viral meningitis is the most common form of the disease.

Symptoms can include fever, headache, stiff neck, nausea, vomiting and fatigue. Viral meningitis is rarely fatal. Bacterial meningitis is considered the more dangerous form of the disease.

Most people with viral meningitis recover in 7 to 10 days, according to the Wisconsin Department of Health.

Thursday’s soccer match against Elkhorn will be rescheduled. Friday’s football game has been rescheduled to 7 p.m. Tuesday in Lake Geneva.

Walworth County Health and Human Services told Badger officials that they could go ahead with Friday’s football conference opener against Burlington, Kluge said.

But after talking with the other schools, Kluge decided to cancel the game.

“I know the athletes were disappointed,” Kluge said. “But it’s only a game.”

Catherine W. Idzerda contributed to this story.