Meningococcal death in Waikato

A woman has died from meningococcal disease at Waikato Hospital.

The 24-year-old died of meningococcal septicaemia, or blood poisoning, at the Hamilton hospital on Friday, the Waikato District Health Board said.

‘‘There have been no other deaths from meningococcal disease in the Waikato DHB region in the past five years,’’ the public health team’s Dr Richard Wall said.

Meningococcal disease is a bacterial infection which can cause meningitis or septicaemia, the Ministry of Health information says.

Meningitis is an infection of the membranes which cover the brain, and septicaemia is also known as blood poisoning or sepsis.

‘‘There were no delays to [the Waikato DHB

patient’s] care from her arrival in the Emergency Department,’’ the DHB said.

‘‘Everything that could be done was away.’’

It was important for people in the community to recognise signs of sepsis so they could get help early, the DHB said.

The sepsis.org.nz website advises people to get urgent help if they have any or one of the following: slurred speech or confusion; extreme shivering or muscle pain; passing no urine for a day; severe breathlessness; you feel like you are going to die; mottled or discoloured skin. undertaken straight

While the bacteria that causes meningococcal disease is quite common, many people carry it without getting sick, Dr Wall said.

People will only be considered at risk if they have had close contact with someone carrying the bacteria – such as living in the same household, or ‘‘close kissing’’.

Meningococcal disease can resemble other illnesses, such as the flu, Ministry of Health information says.

‘‘Everything that could be done was undertaken straight away.’’