WA Health issues second meningococcal warning in weeks as another child struck down by deadly disease

Another Australian child is in hospital with potentially deadly meningococcal disease.

The serogroup B diagnosis reported in WA on Friday is the same strain contracted by a separate child earlier in September .

“Meningococcal disease is an uncommon, life-threatening illness caused by a bacterial infection of the blood and membranes that line the spinal cord and brain, and occasionally of other sites, such as the throat, lungs or large joints,” WA Health said.

Meningococcal bacteria is spread by respiratory droplets from the nose and throat when coughing or sneezing. It is not spread by saliva.

Symptoms include fever, chills, headache, neck stiffness, nausea and vomiting, drowsiness, confusion and severe muscle and joint pains.

“Sometimes, but not always, symptoms may be accompanied by the appearance of a spotty red-purple rash that looks like small bleeding points beneath the skin or bruises,” WA Health said.

“With appropriate treatment, most people with the disease recover, although it can lead to death in 5 to 10 per cent, and around 15 per cent may experience long-term complications such as hearing loss, limb amputations or brain damage.”

Five have been serogroup B and there was one deadly case of serogroup Y in an adult in July.

Earlier this year, authorities warned people travelling to Europe to be aware of a deadly wave of meningococcal B, after the sudden death of a Perth student overseas.

And 7NEWS recently shared the story of a rarely deployed green light corridor system that was used by emergency services to rush a Sydney toddler with a serogroup B infection across town for lifesaving treatment .

WA recorded 13 meningococcal cases in 2025. Twelve were serogroup B and one was serogroup Y.

Vaccines are available to protect against serogroups A, B, C, W and Y.