Shiloh
Editor, Senior Moderator
Source: https://www.illawarramercury.com.au...-of-meningitis-cases-in-the-illawarra/?cs=300
April 19 2018 - 2:00PM
Twelve people hospitalised in the Illawarra after contracting meningitis
Lisa Wachsmuth
A public health alert has been issued for the Illawarra after an ?unusually high? number of hospitalisations due to viral meningitis in the past month.
Twelve people have so far been hospitalised with severe symptoms of the viral infection, with investigations continuing into any possible link between the cases.
Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District public health director Curtis Gregory said the first person became unwell in late March and the others in early April.
?We?ve had 12 cases of viral meningitis that have been hospitalised since late March which is very unusual for this type of infection,? he said. ?There?s actually two things that are unusual about the cluster of cases that we?re seeing.
Read more: Free flu jab at Wollongong Hospital for one day only
?The first is that we normally don?t see that many cases being hospitalised in that amount of time, as viral meningitis is quite common and usually the symptoms are mild.
?Secondly, we?d normally see it in children, particularly those under five years old. However, while there?s been one infant and a few cases in their late teens, the majority of cases have been in adults which is very unusual.?...
April 19 2018 - 2:00PM
Twelve people hospitalised in the Illawarra after contracting meningitis
Lisa Wachsmuth
A public health alert has been issued for the Illawarra after an ?unusually high? number of hospitalisations due to viral meningitis in the past month.
Twelve people have so far been hospitalised with severe symptoms of the viral infection, with investigations continuing into any possible link between the cases.
Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District public health director Curtis Gregory said the first person became unwell in late March and the others in early April.
?We?ve had 12 cases of viral meningitis that have been hospitalised since late March which is very unusual for this type of infection,? he said. ?There?s actually two things that are unusual about the cluster of cases that we?re seeing.
Read more: Free flu jab at Wollongong Hospital for one day only
?The first is that we normally don?t see that many cases being hospitalised in that amount of time, as viral meningitis is quite common and usually the symptoms are mild.
?Secondly, we?d normally see it in children, particularly those under five years old. However, while there?s been one infant and a few cases in their late teens, the majority of cases have been in adults which is very unusual.?...