Meningitis Death Sparks Exposure Warning

GRAND RAPIDS (NEWSCHANNEL 3) - A college student has died from bacterial meningitis in West Michigan. 

Health officials say he may have come in contact with a lot of people int the area before he died.

The college senior died Wednesday in Spectrum Butterworth Hospital. He was admitted for a general illness, but it turned out that he had bacterial meningitis.

The victim is 26-year-old Lamott Smith, a senior at Central Michigan University. He is a native of Sterling Heights 

He's the second college student with ties to West Michigan who has died from the disease this year.

Reports say Smith may have contracted it in the Mt. Pleasant area, but became ill while visiting a friend in Coopersville. He attended a party there.

That's why the Ottawa County Health Department is joining his school in spreading awareness about his death. 

If you think you may have come into contact with him between April 22nd and May 7^th, you're asked to call health officials in either Ottawa County at (616) 396-5266 or at CMU at (989) 773-5921.