Family members of the 2-month old baby confirmed to have had meningococcal disease have all been treated by the Department of Health.
Meningococcal is a rare bacterial infection that causes the membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord to become inflamed. If not diagnosed and treated, it can be fatal.
Director of Nursing at the Department of Health, Margaret Sesepasara says DOH moved in quickly to treat all family members who had come in contact with the child.
And this took place as soon as they suspected that the baby, who came from New Zealand, had the disease.
The child has fully recovered and has been discharged from the hospital.
Next week, DOH will move in to schools to start vaccinating children who have not received their meningococcal shots.
Sesepasara said it’s very important for parents to fill out the forms which students are bringing home this week to ascertain if their children have received the vaccine.
The first shot is given at the age of 11 or 12 and the booster shot is given at age 16.
DOH teams have been administering shots at the inter island dock and at the airport for children traveling to Samoa.
Sesepasara says the publicity campaign about meningococcal is being taken seriously by parents. She says their phones have been ringing and parents are seeking more information about the disease and inquiring where their children can get the shots.
She says parents are also taking their children to the community health centers to be immunized for meningococcal.
