When news hit that an Oak Harbor High School freshman football player had come down with bacterial meningitis, local health authorities wasted no time trying to stop the disease in its tracks.

Bacterial meningitis has hit several schools in this state in recent years, and it can be deadly. Fortunately, Oak Harbor’s single victim pulled through nicely after being airlifted to a hospital in Seattle.

The boy became ill Thursday, Oct. 21. Meningitis was confirmed the following Saturday, and the Island County Health Department and other health officials went to work immediately contacting the boy’s family and friends — anyone who had come in close contact with him in recent days.

That Monday, Health Officer Roger Case and public health nurses were in Oak Harbor High School, handing out information about the dangers of meningitis.

In all, 78 people who could have been in danger were contacted, and a number of them were given antibiotics as a precautionary measure.

By the end of last week, Dr. Case was able to say that only the single case of meningitis had been diagnosed. That was great news for worried students and parents.

At this point, we can’t say for sure that no more cases of meningitis will turn up. But we do know this: Because of quick action by our local health authorities, what could have been a health disaster was confined to a single case that was handled quickly and expertly. We’re fortunate to have such health professionals on our side.