Fourth Child Diagnosed with Meningococcal Disease Recovering in Hospital

A fourth child has been diagnosed with meningococcal disease and is now recovering in hospital.

The Courier-Mail reported that the boy, from South Brisbane, is being treated at Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital for the potentially deadly infection, after presenting to the facility on December 31.

The boy’s case follows the diagnosis of three other children under the age of five, who are from the same family from Brisbane’s north “” two siblings and a cousin “” during a family gathering on New Year’s Day. This most recent case was unrelated to the other three.

A Children’s Health Queensland spokesman said three of the children were in a stable condition, with the other child, one of the three linked cases, in a serious but stable condition, but said that all of the four children were expected to recover.

The confirmation from Metro North Hospital and Health Service has alerted parents on social media after it was revealed that the children had visited Brisbane’s South Bank on New Year’s Eve, where about 90,000 people were estimated to have celebrated.

However, public health physician Megan Young said that the public need not worry, but must still be aware about the signs and symptoms of the disease.

“The general population is at no increased risk of meningococcal disease subsequent to these three linked cases.

“People should, as always, just be aware of signs and symptoms and if they are concerned that they may be coming down with meningococcal disease, they should see their medical practitioner,” she said.

She also said that all those who came in contact with the children have now been identified and were being treated with antibiotics as a precaution. She also refused to tell whether any of the children were vaccinated against the disease.

Health authorities also didn’t confirm which strain of the disease any of the four children had.

Among the symptoms of meningococcal disease are vomiting, fever, headache, stiff neck, light sensitivity and a red or purple rash.

The disease is usually treated with a course of intravenous antibiotics for between five and seven days.

Health department data shows 42 cases of meningococcal disease were reported in Queensland between January 1 and December 18 last year, up from 31 in 2015.

Source: Kidspot.com.au