Young girl from Spreyton in Tasmania’s North-West diagnosed with meningococcal B

A young child has become the second Tasmanian this year to be diagnosed with the meningococcal strain not covered by the state-funded vaccination program.

A YOUNG child has become the latest Tasmanian to be diagnosed with the meningococcal strain not covered by the government-funded vaccination program.

Public Health Services confirmed to the Mercury a three-year-old girl from Spreyton on the state’s North-West Coast was diagnosed with meningococcal B last weekend.

She was discharged from Royal Hobart Hospital on Friday after recovering from the disease.

It is the state’s third confirmed case of the potentially deadly disease this year, and the second of the B strain.

In April a nine-month-old baby was admitted to hospital with meningococcal B, which sparked calls for the strain to be included in the state-funded vaccination program.

It came after a Huon Valley man in his late 60s was treated for W strain in March.

A public health response was initiated following the latest diagnosis to ensure the risks of secondary infection among her closest contacts were minimised, a health department spokesman said.

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Meningococcal B is the only strain of the disease that isn’t part of a free vaccination program. Each dose of vaccination against the B strain costs about $120 on private prescription and up to four doses can be required per person.

“Tasmania’s public health authorities will continue to work with the Australian Government to support the national process that enables safe, effective vaccines to be made widely available to the population,” the spokesman said.

Tara Jones receives a meningococcal vaccination from nurse Mary Coad. Picture: NIKKI DAVIS-JONES

There were five cases of W strain, two cases of Y strain and four cases of B strain in Tasmania last year.

The state-funded meningococcal ACWY vaccination campaign has been the most successful mass immunisation program in the state’s history, with about 75 per cent of Tasmanians aged between six weeks and 21 years covered.

South Australia is the only state nationally to fund meningococcal B vaccines.

State-funded free meningococcal vaccines for the ACWY strains are still available for those aged between six weeks and 20 years of age, while stocks last, from GPs and some council clinics.

The meningococcal ACWY vaccine is also funded under the National Immunisation Program for babies turning one.

From April this year that vaccine has also been offered to those in Year 10 who had not previously been immunised through the school-based immunisation program.

Health Minister Michael Ferguson said last week the Government was committed to protecting Tasmanians.

“We have had huge success in vaccination programs recently,” he said.

“That includes our meningococcal vaccination program, which saw record child immunisation rates in Tasmania, and our highly successful public campaigns to encourage Tasmanians to receive a flu shot.”

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