NSW: Second meningococcal death in NSW in a week

AAP General News (Australia)
08-21-2001
NSW: Second meningococcal death in NSW in a week

A 24-year-old childcare worker from the Blue Mountains in New South Wales has died
of meningococcal disease.

She is the second person in the state to die from the disease in less than a week.

A NSW Health spokeswoman says the woman, from Katoomba, was taken to Nepean Hospital
and died this afternoon.

Children and staff at the centre where she worked have been treated with antibiotics
to prevent any potential outbreak of the disease.

The department is not issuing a general alert for the area.

Health authorities last week issued a meningococcal alert after a 17-year-old boy died
of the disease on Friday and a 14-year-old girl fell ill.

Both were students of Tumbi Umbi High School, on the New South Wales central coast.





Meningococcal is caused by a bacterial germ known as meningococcus and is usually passed
on via saliva through kissing or sharing drink bottles, toothbrushes or cigarettes.

It can lead to meningitis -- an infection of the lining of the brain -- and septicaemia,
or blood poisoning.

AAP RTV aa/rp/jas/jn

KEYWORD: MENINGOCOCCAL NSW (SYDNEY)

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