Vigilant parents prevent meningococcal tragedy

Whangarei Hospital is now dealing with its tenth case of meningococcal disease Photo / John Stone

A five-year-old child has been admitted to Whangarei Hospital with meningococcal disease, the tenth case of the deadly disease in the region since July.

The Whangarei child was admitted to the hospital on the evening of October 7 and is in a stable condition, Northland medical officer of health Clair Mill said.

Dr Mills said this is the tenth case in Northland since July and she is waiting to hear from the national laboratory whether it is a Group C (as in the majority of cases this year in Northland) or another type of meningococcal disease.

"It was fortunate the parents knew about meningococcal disease and they sought medical attention immediately. The disease can be rapidly life-threatening. The child was admitted to a ward and is doing well," she said.

"Northland DHB's public health unit has identified close contacts of the child but it again appears there are no obvious linkage between this and previous meningococcal cases."

"We have contacted family and people who have had close contact with the child during the last week when the child was infectious - sharing food and drink, playing and sleeping in the same house with the child. They have been offered advice and preventative treatment," said Dr Mills.

Northland currently has an outbreak of Group C Meningococcal disease. Since July there have been seven cases of Meningococcal disease caused by Group C bacteria in Northland, including three deaths.

The DHB is carrying out a mass vaccination programme aimed at inoculating up to 40,000 Northlanders aged from 1 to 20 against meningococcal C, and has so far given out more than 4000 jabs.