This past weekend Center Moriches High School was forced to forfeit its football game after several of the football players contracted the contagious Coxsackievirus, while others were sidelined due to injury, ineligibility, or personal reasons, according to school officials.
In a letter to families, Superintendent Ricardo Soto said no additional cases have been reported beyond those identified before the scheduled game against Miller Place High School. He noted that affected players would return to school and athletics once medically cleared.
“As a precaution, the district conducted a deep cleaning of all three school buildings, including locker rooms and classrooms,” Soto wrote, adding that the situation will continue to be monitored.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Coxsackievirus spreads through close contact, contaminated surfaces, or droplets from coughing and sneezing. Some strains cause Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease, which typically affects young children but can also infect adults. Symptoms are usually mild and resolve within a week.
“It certainly causes people to get sick temporarily,” said Dr. Bruce Farber, chief of public health and epidemiology at Northwell Health, “but it’s not horrible.”
Head coach Matt Millheiser said he noticed two players with blisters shortly before Friday’s 6 p.m. kickoff and after investigating some player later discovered others had been ill. Unfortunately, that left his roster depleted and with fewer than the required 16 available players, he mad ethe tough decision to forfeit the upcoming game.
“Out of respect for Miller Place, we didn’t want to risk spreading a contagious disease,” Coach Millheiser said.
Miller Place coach Adam St. Nicholas said he was initially disappointed but agreed with the decision. “When you understand the potential consequences, it puts it into perspective,” he said.
Center Moriches is scheduled to face Bayport-Blue Point on Saturday, pending health clearance later this week.