Death of boy, 6, looked into as a possible meningo case

CEBU, Philippines - Regional health authorities are looking into the sudden death of a child from Asturias, Cebu who reportedly due to meningococcemia.

The six-year-old grade two pupil died last Saturday after being rushed to the hospital at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu City the day before.

The Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit-7 of the Department of Health is investigating the matter, with Disease Surveillance Officer Frances Marcia Navarro saying they are awaiting the child’s hospital records, including the death certificate from Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center.

Since doctors suspected that the child died of meningococcemia, they advised the boy’s immediate burial.

The class adviser of the grade two pupil, whom she said belonged to the top 10 honor students, was shocked with what happened since the boy did not display any signs of being sick Wednesday.

“We did not expect he would get sick. The last time I saw him was Wednesday and he was very active in school. We did not have class Thursday due to the heavy rains and also on Friday because I attended an activity. I did not even know he was hospitalized. I only learned that he got sick the same day he died,” the teacher said.

The FREEMAN is withholding the name of the teacher to keep the anonymity of the boy and of his community.

Meningococcemia is an infection caused by the neisseria meningitides bacteria, the same type that causes meningitis.

Meningitis happens when the bacteria infect the membranes or meninges covering the brain and the spinal cord. It is called meningococcemia when the infection remains in the blood and does not affect the brain or the spinal cord.

Symptoms of meningococcemia include fever, headache, rash consisting of small spots, and nausea.

This disease could be spread from bacteria sneezes or cough and mostly claims the lives of children and young adults.

Meanwhile, Asturias Mayor Alan Adlawan said he has yet to confirm the report on the boy’s death.

Adlawan just arrived from an out-of-town trip and told The FREEMAN he would talk first to Municipal Health Officer Rizaldy Climaco so he could get details about the incident.—(FREEMAN)