A five-year-old child has been admitted to Whangarei Hospital with meningococcal disease, the tenth case of the deadly disease in the region since July.
The Whangarei child was admitted to the hospital on the evening of October 7 and is in a stable condition, Northland medical officer of health Clair Mill said.
Dr Mills said this is the tenth case in Northland since July and she is waiting to hear from the national laboratory whether it is a Group C (as in the majority of cases this year in Northland) or another type of meningococcal disease.
"It was fortunate the parents knew about meningococcal disease and they sought medical attention immediately. The disease can be rapidly life-threatening. The child was admitted to a ward and is doing well," she said.
"Northland DHB's public health unit has identified close contacts of the child but it again appears there are no obvious linkage between this and previous meningococcal cases."
