Two-month-old baby dies of meningococcemia at San Lazaro Hospital

A two-month-old baby died of meningococcemia Thursday night at the San Lazaro Hospital in Manila, the third such death in recent months.

The baby was brought to the hospital 8 p.m. on Thursday and died around midnight, according to a Friday report by Maki Pulido on 24 Oras.

All three of the meningococcemia fatalities were from Batangas' Nasugbu town, but from different barangays.

The Department of Health (DOH) was thus quick to emphasize that there was no meningococcemia outbreak in the province nor in any other part of the country.

"'Wag n'yo pong ikabahala. Hindi po ito outbreak. 'Pag tinignan natin ang datos nung isang taon o kaya datos nung nakaraang iba pang taon makikita natin na halos pareho lang ang bilang ng merong meningococcemia," said Health Assistant Secretary Maria Rosario Vergeire.

Meanwhile, three other patients were being treated for meningococcemia at San Lazaro Hospital.

Among them was a 7-year-old child whose foot had become gangrenous due to severe purpuric rashs.

"Nangingitim po ang mga daliri sa paa up to the lower extremities so may surgical intervention na pwedeng gawin para mapalitan 'yung namatay na balat," explained Dr. Ferdinand De Guzman, chair of the Department of Family Medicine at San Lazaro Hospital

Meningococcemia is caused by bacteria that enters the bloodstream and causes organs to bleed. Rashes and bleeding spots may be signs of internal bleeding.

Guzman advised parents to refrain from brings their kids who have a cough or the flu to crowded places as people with respiratory infections or weak immune systems were vulnerable to the disease. — Joahna Lei Casilao/DVM, GMA News