12 reported cases of disease in 2018

LINDY Wilson’s fatal case of septicaemia was one of 12 incidents of meningococcal disease the SDHB was made aware of in 2018, affecting people aged between 3 and 57.

There were three other cases of meningococcal disease at the university during the year, at residential hall Studholme College. A fourth student who was not living there was also diagnosed.

The disease can lead to meningitis (inflammation of the brain) or blood poisoning (septicaemia), and bacteria that cause the infection can be spread by contact such as coughing, sneezing and kissing.

SDHB medical officer of health Susan Jack said Ms Wilson’s death was ‘‘an isolated case’’ unrelated to the others.

‘‘The events that cause meningococcal disease are poorly understood but include a combination of organism, host and environmental factors,’’ Dr Jack said.

The 11 people who survived made a full recovery.

Dr Jack said eight of the 12 cases were Group B, the most common group, one was in Group Y and the remaining three were in ‘‘superstrain’’ Group W, which claimed six lives nationally last year.

Numbers of people developing meningococcal were up from 2017, when there were only seven cases, but did not match 2016 when there were 19.

Staff and students at Studholme College were offered antibiotics in July, after the third student living at the college was diagnosed.

An Otago Polytechnic student died after contracting meningitis in 2016.

People who suspect they may have meningococcal disease are urged to either call their doctor straight away or dial 111 and say what their symptoms are.