The father of a young Western Australian man who died from meningococcal disease in Tasmania has poured out his grief on social media, with authorities confirming the 19-year-old contracted a strain on the rise around the nation.
Albany teenager Lloyd Dunham died at Royal Hobart Hospital on Saturday from the W strain, which is being reported at higher rates in Tasmania than other states.
"My heart and soul is shattered into pieces by your sudden departure from this world. My son. My blood. Thank you for all the friendship and smiles you gave everyone. You are a legend always. My sadness will never end," Terry Dunham posted on Facebook.
The young man's close contacts have been provided preventive antibiotics and a vaccine dose, but Tasmania's director of public health Mark Veitch says the risk of secondary infection is very small.
"We haven't had one in Tasmania in at least seven years," Dr Veitch said.
Dozen cases this year
It was difficult to determine where a person contracted the disease, he said, and it was rarely necessary to notify an airline because domestic flights in Australia were not long enough to pose a risk to passengers.
A dozen cases of meningococcal disease have been reported in Tasmania this year, including four interstate visitors.
Cases of the W strain have increased in most states over the past two to three years, and Tasmania, New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria and Western Australia are running free vaccination programs for people aged 15 to 19 in 2017 and 2018.
Meningococcal causes death in five to 10 per cent of cases.
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