Suspected meningococcal death in Hobart calls on health authorities to calm down

By Tamara Glumac

Update

July 13, 2018 07:22:24

Tasmania's public health director urges parents not to panic after the death of a Hobart teenager from an alleged infection with meningococcus

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Health authorities stated that laboratory results showed evidence of meningococcal disease and additional tests were underway to determine the strain of the disease.

A small number of people who were in contact with the girl received antibiotics in case they were carrying the infection.

But Dr. Mark Veitch, director of public health, said that related cases were rare.

"It's shocking and very unhappy in the outcome for the people involved, the family, but it's not a reason for widespread panic," said Dr. Veitch.

"If this opens the discussion between parents or Tasmanians in general and their GP on the merits or an meningococcal vaccine for them and their children, it's a good thing to discuss."

It is the first case of the state Meningococcal symptoms may include:

There are five main strains of meningococcal disease: A, B, C, W and Y.

Since July 1, a vaccine against strains A, C, W and Y has been made available free to children aged 12 months as part of the national immunization program.

The Government of Tasmania finances the vaccine for adolescents aged 15 to 19 years.

Vaccination against meningococcal B is available but not provided by a government program.

"Children who have received the Group C vaccine in recent years, who may now be two, four or ten years old, their parents can discuss with their general practitioner the merits of a four-strain vaccine, said Dr. Veitch.

"But there is no general recommendation that they do that,"

"Healthy at breakfast, dying at dinner"

Australia meningococcal exhorts people to be aware of the signs and symptoms of infection

"Time is of crucial importance." Eliza Ault-Connell said, "You can be relatively healthy at breakfast and died at dinner. "

" It is a tragic disease because early signs and symptoms can be considered signs of meningococcal disease. can other conditions such as perhaps the flu or stomach virus when we think of headaches, nausea, vomiting hands and cold feet, sensitivity to light.

"It is only at a later stage that the rash may appear or not and at this point it is a medical emergency."

The coroner investigates the death of the teenager.

The last death in Tasmania was a teenager from Western Australia who died at the Royal Hobart Hospital in August 2017.

Lloyd Dunham, 19, was on vacation in the United States. State when he died of the W strain of the disease.

Topics:

meningococcal disease

Hobart 7000

Published

July 13, 2018 07:13:20