An outbreak of a potentially deadly strain of meningococcal disease in central Australia has prompted the WA Health Department to offer free vaccinations to remote communities.
The outbreak has mostly affected Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory and South Australia, but the vaccination program will help prevent the further spread of disease-causing bacteria into bordering WA communities.
The free vaccination program will provide direct protection against the A, C, W and Y strains, and will be distributed by the WA Country Health Service to people of all ages until December 17.
There have been 29 cases of meningococcal in WA this year, up from 23 cases in 2016, including 14 cases of the serious serogroup W infection.
