2 Mpls girls pricked by needles on playground

A Minneapolis school says two girls are OK after they were pricked by hypodermic needles they found on their school playground.

A police report says the girls, ages 7 and 8, found "several" needles at the Whittier School.

KSTP-TV reports the girls played with the needles and were poked. The children were taken to a doctor. School officials say the girls were back in school the next day.

Infection specialist Cindy Larson tells KSTP the risk of infection from HIV or hepatitis is minimal, since those viruses cannot survive in open air more than a few minutes let alone weeks or months in snow.

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School district officials say students are being told to alert teachers if they see anything dangerous on the playground. The Minneapolis Parks Department has been asked to regularly clean up the playground as the snow melts.

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Information from: KSTP-TV

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)