A high school student in Bellmore has been diagnosed with the contagious meningitis bacteria. 

Officials have confirmed that the student attended both John F. Kennedy High School in Bellmore and Nassau BOCES in Westbury. Many students who are close with him are now on antibiotics as a precaution.

A letter sent by the principal of John F. Kennedy High School to parents Tuesday said that any individual who had close contact with the teen within 10 days prior to May 3 should see a doctor immediately.

Symptoms of meningococcal meningitis include high fever, vomiting, stiff neck and rash. Meningitis is spread through respirators and oral secretions from an infected person. 

News 12 confirmed that the student was hospitalized over the weekend and is now being treated at South Nassau Communities Hospital. News 12 is told he is in satisfactory condition.

The student's father posted an update publicly on Facebook, thanking everyone for asking about his son.  He wrote, "At this point we are over the most serious and critical times, however it will still be a few weeks before he is back to normal."

There is a mandatory meningitis vaccine for students in seventh and 12th grade. Doctors say that vaccine covers four specific strains of meningitis, but not the one the student is sick with. The vaccine for that strain is voluntary and recommended for young adults ages 16-23.