An investigation is ongoing after a child died unexpectedly from what Labrador-Grenfell Health is calling a meningococcal disease.
Meningococcal disease is an infection caused by the bacterium Neisseria meningitidis. This bacterium can cause serious and sometimes fatal diseases including meningitis (infection of the brain lining) and meningococcal septicemia (infection of the blood).
There are many different subtypes of the bacteria.
Symptoms take an average of four days to appear. In some cases, symptoms may appear between two and ten days after infection.
They usually include high fever, headache, stiff neck, nausea, vomiting, and drowsiness. Other symptoms may include sensitivity to light (photophobia), confusion and a purplish skin rash.
A child was admitted to the Labrador Health Centre this week before being sent to St. John's.