A North Whidbey Middle School sixth-grader returned to school Monday after being diagnosed with viral meningitis over the weekend.

The student was diagnosed with the viral form of the disease, which is considered far less dangerous than bacterial meningitis, over the weekend. A sibling of the student attending Oak Harbor Elementary previously showed similar symptoms of the disease.

Island County Health Officer Roger Case said viral meningitis is a relatively mild disease that runs its course over several days. Symptoms of the disease are fever, severe headache, stiff neck, bright lights hurting eyes, drowsiness, confusion, nausea and vomiting, according to information from the Centers for Disease Control.

The more serious form of meningitis, bacterial, can result in disability or death if not treated promptly.

There are 25,000 to 50,000 hospitalizations in the United States each year for viral meningitis.

Joe Hunt, communications director for the Oak Harbor School District, said letters were sent home Monday to parents with students attending Oak Harbor Elementary and North Whidbey Middle schools. He added that the infected student is fine and back in school.