The tally of meningitis cases in the north of New Zealand is on the rise again.
Northland Health says a 16-month-old Whangarei baby was admitted to hospital on Wednesday night with suspected meningococcal disease.
A two-year-old from Kaipara admitted last Sunday is now a confirmed case.
If the Whangarei case is confirmed, the number of people who have caught the disease since July will stand at 12 and the death toll at three.
Northland has an outbreak of Group C meningococcal disease and the District Health Board is offering free vaccination for people aged 12 months to 20 years.
Children vaccinated during the last epidemic are not protected against the current strain of the disease, it warns.
