2023-09-03 12:20:01
Five people have died in the US state of Virginia as a result of complications from meningococcal disease, according to a statement by the health department in the state near Washington, DC.
The statement said that 27 cases of meningococcal disease, caused by a bacterium called Neisseria meningitidis of strain Y, had been reported in eastern, central, and southwestern Virginia since June 2022, and 5 of them had died due to complications from the disease, which it described as “rare but serious.” .
The statement indicated that the number of injuries represents 3 times the expected number of cases during this time period.
Most of the patients registered in the new cases are adults of African descent, ranging in age from 30 to 60 years. Only one person has been vaccinated against the Y strain out of 27 cases.
The statement stated that the strain is circulating widely in the United States, but that the risks to Virginians are “low”.
The disease is transmitted through respiratory secretions by kissing, coughing or sneezing directly into the face of others, or by sharing cups, water bottles, eating utensils and cigarettes.
These bacteria can lead to meningitis, a type of infection and inflammation of the fluid and membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord, called the meninges. It also causes blood poisoning. (free)
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