Sydney school offered antibiotics following meningococcal outbreak

Cases of meningococcal were recorded in Sydney. Photo / Supplied via news.com.au

A Sydney school has been offered antibiotics as a preventive measure following an outbreak of meningococcal disease late last month.

NSW Health issued a public health alert about two weeks ago after two cases of meningococcal were recorded in Sydney's northern beaches region.

A third case was detected on June 1.

Close contacts were identified and offered preventive antibiotics.

"The crucial action people can take is to get assessed quickly by their local doctor or emergency department, as early recognition and treatment is very effective," Northern Sydney Local Health District public health director Dr Michael Staff said.

Years 9 and 10 students at St Paul's Catholic College in Manly, as well as teachers, took clearance antibiotics as a precaution.

It came after a student who attended the Catholic single-sex private school caught the disease while at a rugby league club. He was taken to hospital but has since recovered and been released.

A note published by the school's principal.

"Antibiotics are being offered to an additional limited group of students and staff within the school just in case the source of the infection is within this broader group," Staff said.

Meningococcal disease can often mimic other common illnesses with symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, neck stiffness, headache, joint pain, sensitivity to light or a sudden fever.

A rash of red-purple spots or bruises which does not blanch when pressed is often experienced with the illness, but, in some cases, a rash doesn't show, or could be the last symptom to appear.

Meningococcal disease usually causes meningitis (inflammation of the lining of the brain and spinal cord) and/or septicaemia (blood poisoning).

- NCA NewsWire