This meningococcal outbreak is not going away.
The sad news that a third person has died from the disease makes the Northland District Health Board's meningococcal C vaccination campaign all the more important.
The campaign aims to vaccinate 44,000 Northlanders aged between 1 and 20 in an attempt to control the disease's spread and to prevent more cases.
It started yesterday and will end on December 16.
It is an excellent proactive step.
Reactively, it seems that swift and accurate diagnosis is key, as is prompt treatment with antibiotics. Given time, the disease can ravage a healthy body, but also seems to prey on the young and elderly.
Several years ago Northland was on high alert as meningitis claimed multiple lives, particularly of children.
A vaccination programme - and some say the disease's natural decline - led to a radical drop-off in deaths and a relaxing of the region's general consciousness about the risk and identification of the disease.
We must assume that state of heightened awareness again. Sadly, a different strain of the disease is back and showing signs of hanging around.
No one would wish any of the pain and suffering the disease has brought upon Northland families.
People are entitled to their view on vaccinations, but it seems that if death is an option, then surely having the vaccination is a no brainer?
Dr Clair Mills says if people are concerned about the disease or believed they have been in close contact with someone who had had meningococcal disease, they should go to their GP, or talk to a public health nurse on 0800 430 123 - a line which runs 24 hours.
Ed Lines
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