HOUSTON -- An eighth-grader died from meningitis on Friday, KPRC Local 2 reported.

Houston Independent School District officials said she was a student at Revere Middle School and had been out sick since Tuesday.

Students at Revere were shocked after learning that their classmate died so soon.

"They gave us the paper and everyone was shocked. I found out who it was after school," said one student.

The school's principal sent out a letter to parents informing them about the student's death.

The city of Houston's health department will contact each student and teacher who has been been in contact with the student so they can be tested.

"Students in her class, those who rode the bus with her, friends and teachers will have to be tested," school district spokesman Norm Uhl said.

It is not known if the student has a contagious form of meningitis, but health officials are taking preventive care by treating it as a bacterial case.

The name of the student has not been released.

Symptoms of meningitis include fever, headache, stiff neck or back, nausea and vomiting.