Young adult dies from meningococcal disease

A young adult infected with invasive meningococcal disease has died.SA Health confirmed the person's death on Wednesday, after the state's health minister and chief public health officer confirmed the case on Saturday, October 31.SA Health said data confidentiality meant no details regarding the deceased person could be provided.Chief Public Health Officer Nicola Spurrier had previously said close contacts of the infected person had been provided preventative antibiotics.No further meningococcal cases have been reported to SA Health, with the deceased person the 22nd case in South Australia this year.Failure to receive treatment for the disease once symptoms are detected can increase the risk of disability and mortality.Susceptible groups include adolescents and very young children, though a 36-year-old South Australian man died from the disease in 2023.Professor Spurrier and the state's health minister, Blair Boyer, have encouraged parents to vaccinate children younger than 12 months, or who are students in Year 10, as these groups are eligible for the state's free vaccination program.