Officials reassure parents probable meningitis case not linked to outbreak

Health officials in Northern Ireland have reassured parents that a probable case of bacterial meningitis is not related to the ongoing outbreak in England.

The case centres on a 16-year-old pupil at Bloomfield Collegiate School in Belfast.

Dr Jillian Johnston, from the Public Health Agency (PHA), said the person was in hospital.

In updated guidance to parents on Wednesday, the PHA said it had been made aware of at least one additional individual who was assessed in an emergency department, adding "at present, no further cases have been confirmed".

It also said "there is no evidence to suggest that the infection has spread within the school or wider community".

Meningitis is an infection of the protective membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord.

Bacterial meningitis is rarer but more serious than viral meningitis. It can lead to blood poisoning or sepsis, and can affect the brain.

In Kent, there have been nine meningitis cases confirmed and 11 are under investigation. Six cases are known to be Meningitis B, which is form of bacterial meningitis.

The PHA said there was no increased risk to the population in Northern Ireland after confirmation of the probable case.

"We are quite content that this is not in any way related to what is happening in England," Johnston said on Good Morning Ulster.

She added that doctors by law had to inform the PHA of suspected cases and "we have standard actions we have to take".

"For any cases we follow the national guidance and for a single case where we feel it is most likely to be meningitis, we will do what is called contact tracing and identify close contacts," she added.

She said for a single case the close contacts are those who are in a prolonged close contact which tends to be people living in the same household.

In this case, Johnston said: "We have identified those living in the household and they have been offered antibiotics."

She added that it was important for people to be aware of the signs and symptoms of meningitis and take action if anyone was concerned.

The Education Authority said it had been informed of the probable case and the PHA were leading on the response.

Two vaccines protect against the main causes of meningitis and septicaemia.

Meningitis B, known as MenB, is the strain of bacteria behind the outbreak of cases in young people in Kent.

The MenB vaccine is recommended for babies aged eight weeks, followed by a second dose at 12 weeks and a booster at one year.

It was added to the UK NHS childhood immunisation programme for babies born on or after 1 July 2015.

The MenACWY vaccine offers protection against four types of bacteria that can cause meningitis - meningococcal groups A, C, W and Y.

Pupils in Year 11 are automatically offered the vaccine in school, with a second chance to have it again in Year 12, if they missed out the first time.

If you are aged 25 or under, at university for the first time and have not yet had the MenACWY vaccination, you can ask your GP for the vaccine.

The PHA said if your child missed a vaccination, contact your GP practice to book an appointment.

Generally, it takes a couple of weeks to get the fullest protection from a vaccine and some require booster doses.