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Meningitis C Surfaces in Toronto:Public Alerted

by Medindia Content Team on Dec 1 2006 5:22 PM

A young man died of Meningitis C last week. Public health department in Toronto has alerted its citizens regarding this case since the disease is highly contagious and the man who died happened to have frequented a bustling bar days before he died.

Although only a single case has been notified, owing to its severity and fatality, the health department has alerted the public to be cautious. Meningitis C is a contagious disease caused by bacteria present in the throat and saliva of an infected person. It can typically spread through mouth –to-mouth kissing and sharing drinks. It can be fatal in one tenth of cases. Following exposure, symptoms show up within 2 – 5 days. Severe headache, high fever, nausea and stiff neck are the chief symptoms. Typically it affects the younger generation.

The young man who died last week in Toronto had visited Crews & Tango, a bar, frequented by hundreds of patrons during weekends. All patrons who had visited that bar, have been alerted and urged to take precautionary vaccines. Health officials have notified that free vaccinations are being made available to the public at the 519 Church Street Community Centre from 3-7pm on Friday.

There were no Meningitis C cases reported in Toronto last year.

Source-Medindia
MST


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