Tulsa World (Jul 20, 06:07 PM)  JOPLIN, Mo. -- Authorities say an Afton, Okla., girl who remains in critical condition with meningitis in a California hospital may not have contracted the disease while attending a Girl Scout camp in Missouri earlier this month.

Julie Neiman, executive director of the Ozark Area Girl Scout Council, said Thursday that an official with the Newton County Health Department in Missouri said the 12-year-old, who is listed in critical condition in a Santa Cruz County, Calif., hospital, may have had meningitis before she came to camp.

County officials notified Girl Scout leaders late Tuesday that the girl was suffering from some type of meningitis. The decision was made to close the camp immediately. However, Neiman said county officials did not order the camp's closing.

The 12-year-old, who attends school in Grove, Okla., attended Camp Mintahama, located near Joplin, from July 7 through July 12 and became ill the day after she left camp, when her family flew to California for vacation, officials said.

Neiman, who would not confirm the girl's name, said 80 children attended the camp that week and that 18 of them were in direct contact with the girl.

Both the Health Department and Girl Scout officials notified parents and volunteer workers who had contact with the girl, who were at risk of contracting the contagious disease, officials said.

Patti Yates, nursing supervisor for the Newton County Health Department, said that as of Thursday no one else had reported any symptoms related to the disease.

Symptoms of meningitis are fever, lethargy, vomiting and stiffness in the neck. By the time those symptoms occur, the disease is already seriously affecting the body, the nurse said.

A test of trying to touch the chin to the neck will provide an early diagnosis for possible meningitis. If neck pain is detected, then medical treatment should be sought immediately, Yates said.