Baby victim of meningitis

By MARTIN JOHNSTON

A fresh outbreak of meningitis has killed a baby and partly paralysed another person.

The outbreak of viral meningitis cases caused by Echovirus 33 comes on top of the epidemic of meningococcal disease, which has infected more than 3300 people and killed 150 in the past 10 years.

Health authorities have discovered 53 confirmed cases of Echovirus 33, most of them resulting in meningitis, the inflammation of the membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord. The virus can also cause stillbirths, chest infections and gastro-enteritis.

The outbreak began in March in the Waikato, where there have been 26 confirmed cases. Auckland has had 15 and Northland four.