28 Sep 2011

Strain of meningitis behind Wellington death identified

12:33 pm on 28 September 2011

Test results have confirmed a Wellington teenager who died suddenly of meningitis had the C strain of the disease.

Joshua Hinaki died last week, and the same strain killed another Wellington teenager, Penelope Lake, in April.

Their close contacts have been offered the meningococcal C vaccine, which is also being used in Northland where an outbreak of the disease has killed two people.

However Wellington health authorities say there is no region-wide outbreak of meningococcal C and no need at this stage for a local immunisation campaign.