A national spike in cases of meningococcal disease has prompted authorities to urge parents to vaccinate their children against all strains of the disease.
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Spring is a peak time for the disease with babies and children up to the age of five, and teenagers and young adults aged 15 to 24 among those most at risk of contracting the disease.
Ballarat’s Emma-Kate McGrath, 19, died from meningococcal strain W in May 2017, prompting family and friends to establish 4EK which promotes awareness of the disease.
RELATED STORY: Helping to make sense of Emma-Kate’s ‘senseless’ passing
Professor Robert Booy from the National Centre for Immunisation Research said there were five common strains of meningococcal disease in Australia - A, B, C, W and Y.
“We had a surge in W (strain) leading to nearly 150 cases last year and a surge in Y (strain) leading to 75 cases last year,” Prof Booy said.
There has been one case of meningococcal in the Grampians region this year, and 45 so far this year across Victoria.
Vaccines are available against B strain, C strain and a combination vaccine against ACWY strains with free ACWY vaccine for children at 12 months of age or a free catch-up dose for unimmunised people under 20 who have not previously had the C vaccine at 12 months.
The Australian Academy of Science has released a new video campaign to educate the public and medical professionals about the disease.
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