THE Department of Health yesterday confirmed another death caused by meningococcemia.
The victim, a 2-year-old child from Dumanjug town in southwestern Cebu, died last Nov. 7.
DOH Regional Director Susanna Madarieta confirmed the cause of the child’s death after laboratory results showed the presence of the bacteria in the cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) of the test taken from the child.
“There’s no need to panic. We already treated the relatives and the neighbors even before the case was confirmed,” Madarieta said in an interview.
Meningococcemia is a life-threatening bacterial infection of the bloodstream. The bacteria usually lives in the upper respiratory tract without causing obvious signs of illness. It is spread through coughing or sneezing.
The child from Dumanjug suffered high fever and died in the hospital.
The Provincial Health Office informed DOH that the child showed symptoms of meningococcemia.
DOH immediately distributed medicine and monitored the health conditions of the neighbors and the family of the patient.
Other symptoms of meningococcemia are purple rashes in the skin, bleeding and high fever.
Madarieta said the disease, also known as meningococcal septicaemia, is caused by the release of toxins in the bloodstream, which break down the blood vessels and cause bleeding in the skin.
Children with low resistance are vulnerable to the disease.
This is the second meningococcemia case in Cebu that was confirmed by the DOH-7. Last week, DOH-7 confirmed that a 2-year-old boy from Mandaue City died of meningococcemia in the hospital. He died on Oct. 27 and was immediately cremated. Treatment was also given to the family and the neighbors of the child.
Madarieta said they had six suspected cases of meningococcemia this year.
“There are no symptoms. But we are still monitoring the situation to assure that the community is safe,” she said. Reporter Candeze R. Mongaya