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It would not have been "appropriate" to warn the public of a "very scary" strain of meningitis when it was brought to the attention of doctors six months ago, said Northland DHB.
On Tuesday, the DHB issued a press release urging the public to remain alert to a "significant increase" in group W meningococcal disease in the region after the deaths of three people. The Ministry of Health has also warned emergency departments and general practitioners against the growing number of cases.
But in May, clinical microbiologist David Hammer had sent a letter to DHB staff to inform him of the "significant increase" of meningococcal W ST-11 cases in New Zealand.
Northland DHB's medical officer of health, Dr. José M. Ortega, said the DHB had questioned claims that the public should have been warned earlier about the meningococcal W strain (MenW).
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* A teenager dies of a suspicion of meningococcal infection after the Auckland Youth Camp
"In May, we had two unrelated adult cases from MenW that deserved close surveillance," Ortega said.
"Without precise information, it was not appropriate to alarm the community."
The new strain of meningococcus has been touted as "any form of infection" and appeared randomly for no apparent reason, he said.
Hammer sensitized staff because the meningococcal presentation tended to be more atypical than other strains, he said.
PROVIDED
In October, 16-year-old Dion Hodder died of the W group meningococcal disease.
"We have continued surveillance and monitoring of the incidence of the disease, in line with good public health practice, and are reviewing some of the historical epidemiological data on invasive meningococcal disease, in the hope that this will inform future decisions regarding our response.
"The public health team and Dr. Hammer are in permanent dialogue with the ministry about this disease and [on Thursday] will attend the Technical Advisory Group meeting organized by the Ministry of Health to begin work on ways to reduce meningococcal disease rates in New Zealand.
"The ministry will be guided by the ministry to go forward," said Ortega.
Twenty-four cases have already been confirmed this year. Across the country, six patients died of the W strain.
Dr. Helen Petousis-Harris, Research Director of the Advisory Center on Immunization and Senior Lecturer at the University of Auckland, said the W strain affected people of all ages and ages. seemed "super virulent".
"The number of cases caused by this strain has doubled since 2017, from 12 to 24 up to now," Petousis-Harris said.
DANICA MACLEAN / STUFF
A letter sent to Northland DHB staff in May warned of a frightening "strain" of meningococcal meningitis – six months before the public was informed (file).
"People who have this strain are more likely to die.
"To worsen the situation, the signs and symptoms are a little different from the usual diagnoses, which makes diagnosis more difficult."
Petousis-Harris said GPs were encouraged to monitor the onset of meningococcal disease and to administer antibiotics if they suspected it.
"Meningococcal disease is rare but deadly, we have vaccines that protect against meningococcal groups circulating in New Zealand, including the new hypervirulent W and groups B and C that cause most cases."
PROVIDED
Dr. Helen Petousis-Harris, Research Director of the Advisory Center on Immunization, said people with the W strain were more likely to die because it was "extremely virulent".
Hammer's internal memo stated that the disease tended to "spread rapidly in youth gathering areas, such as schools, homes, army barracks and university campuses."
Dion Hodder, a teenager from Northland, is one of three people who died of meningococcal disease this year.
On October 20, the 16-year-old was in a training camp at St John Youth on Motutapu Island when he became ill. Hodder was flown to Auckland City Hospital where he died shortly before midnight.
His mother, Todd Horton, and his father-in-law, Lance Horton, declared that Dion had died from the W strain.
Dion's mother said that it was difficult to know how to feel about the internal memo.
"It does not really make much difference to us at this point," Horton said.
"Meningococcal disease is one of those long-standing diseases and everyone knows the signs and symptoms, but I think we just need to know that, with these new strains, some of these signs and symptoms are less noticeable and are not not so important. "
"I would hate to think of other parents going through what we are going through right now."
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