Child in WA hospital with meningococcal

A young child has become the first person diagnosed with serogroup B meningococcal disease in Western Australia in 2019.

A young child is recovering in hospital after becoming the first person this year diagnosed with serogroup B meningococcal disease in Western Australia.

The incidence of the disease decreased significantly in WA - down from a peak of 86 cases in 2000 to a low of 16 cases in 2013, the WA Health Department says.

But it is increasing again due to new virulent strains of serogroup W, and to a lesser extent serogroup Y.