Tributes flow for WA teen with deadly bug

THE father of a West Australian teenager who died of meningococcal disease at the Royal Hobart Hospital has spoken of his “shattered soul” in a tribute to his son on social media.

Nineteen-year-old Lloyd Dunham died of the W strain of the bacterial infection on Saturday and his death has been referred to the coroner.

“Love you forever Lloyd. My heart and soul is shattered into pieces by your sudden departure from this world. My son, my blood. Love you,” Terry Dunham wrote.

“Thank you for all the friendship and smiles you gave everyone. You are a legend always. Cheers. My sadness will never end. Maybe I will see you sometime soon when my time is up.”

Lloyd Dunham’s em- ployer, Farmers Centre 1978 Pty Ltd, posted on social media that it was “shocked” by the death.

“He was such a great guy and we will all miss him so much,” they wrote.

Mr Dunham, who lived in Albany, had been visiting his sister, Lucy, in Tasmania when he was struck down by the disease.

Lucy told Perth TV her brother had been in Tasmania for a week and was due to return home to WA on Saturday.

But on his way to the airport, Lloyd had trouble breathing and passed out.

The 19-year-old never regained consciousness.

Public Health Director Mark Veitch said it was unlikely Mr Dunham’s illness posed any risk to people he had come in contact with in Tasmania, because secondary cases related to meningococcal cases were rare.

Mr Veitch said close contacts of a meningococcal case were treated with antibiotics to clear bacteria from the throat in case they were the source of the infection.

Meningococcal is a bacterial infection spread through mucus, causing lifelong disability in up to 20 per cent of cases and death in 5 to 10 per cent of cases.

Between 2006 and 2015, there was an average of four or five meningococcal cases in Tasmania each year.

So far in 2017, there have been eight cases of meningococcal disease affecting Tasmania residents including five cases of meningococcal W. There have also been four cases of meningococcal disease diagnosed in Tasmania in 2017 involving interstate visitors.

Vaccinations for meningococcal A, C, W and Y strains are being provided free for Tasmanians aged 15-19 because of the increase in cases over the past two years.

A memorial is being planned for Mr Dunham in Albany.

My heart and soul is shattered into pieces by your sudden departure ... TERRY DUNHAM