Results from Lauren Jones’ autopsy on Wednesday were inconclusive, according to Lane County Public Health spokesman Jason Davis.
Davis said that they haven’t ruled out meningococcemia or meningitis as a cause of Jones’ death. Lane County Public Health is awaiting results on blood tests they sent out to local and state-wide testing sites to further diagnose Jones’ cause of death.
Jones, 18, died unexpectedly Tuesday after she was found in her room at Barnhart Hall. Jones was a freshman on the Oregon acrobatics and tumbling team.
Christian Hill of the Register-Guard reported Wednesday that Jones was released from Peace Health Sacred Heart Medical Center, University District approximately 11 hours before she was found dead.
Davis added that the University is “doing all they can” to get as may students vaccinated for the meningitis bacteria as possible.
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, an outbreak of meningitis occurs when three cases are linked together in the span of three months. Oregon has had three cases of Neisseria meningococcemia since the start of the new year. The first case was reported on Jan. 16.
The CDC also states that, on college campuses, two cases linked together can meet the outbreak definition.
Most cases of diagnosed meningococcemia are what the CDC calls sporadic, meaning over 95 percent are not classified as part of an outbreak.
University of Oregon spokeswoman Julie Brown said Tuesday that a bacterial infection is a possibility in Jones’ case.
At around 7 p.m. Tuesday, the University of Oregon gave out emergency antibiotics to residents of Barnhart, the same dorm Jones lived in.
“This is a preventive step,” Brown told the Emerald. “We have reached out to residents of Barnhart as well as student athletes about the prophylactic medication.”
Acrobatics and tumbling coach Chelsea Shaw called Jones’ death a “terrible and sudden loss” for the whole Oregon community.
“Lauren was such a positive and bright spirit every day, and her smile was contagious,” Shaw said. “She will be greatly missed and our prayers and deepest condolences go out to her whole family, friends, previous teammates and anyone else who had the opportunity to know Lauren.”
More to come.
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