Chelsea Kanatus

The West Virginia University freshman who died Monday of what is believed to have been bacterial meningitis has been identified as Chelsea Kanatus, 19, of Stephens City, Va.

The university and the local medical examiner declined to identify the student who first became ill Friday. Rather, Ms. Kanatus was identified in a memorial Web site posted by her friends as the victim of the highly contagious disease. Asked for a condition report on Chelsea Kanatus, a WVU Hospitals spokeswoman said "Chelsea Kanatus is deceased."

WVU freshmen are required to be vaccinated for bacterial meningitis, and Dr. Jan Palmer, director of WVU Student Health, said the deceased had indeed had the vaccination, which does not protect against all strains of the illness.

The Health Service and Ruby Memorial Hospital, where the student died, both have been giving antibiotics to students, friends and relatives of Ms. Kanatus.

Dr. Palmer said WVU has had three confirmed cases of bacterial meningitis in the past four years, two in 2005 and one in 2007. "In all three cases the students were diagnosed and treated early and had complete resolution," he said. "All are doing fine to this date."