Meningococcal: WA Health confirms eleventh case in 2025 as adult recovers in hospital

An adult is recovering in hospital after being diagnosed with meningococcal B.

WA Health confirmed the person had contracted the uncommon but life-threatening illness.

The disease is caused by a bacterial infection of the blood or membranes lining the spinal cord and brain. It occasionally infects other sites like large joints, the throat or lungs. The five most common strains are A, B, C, W and Y.

It’s the eleventh case of meningococcal in WA this year, and the ninth case of the B strain. One person, who had the Y strain, died from the disease in July.

Meningococcal can quickly become fatal but it’s not easily spread and doesn’t survive more than a few seconds in the environment.

It is treatable with antibiotics and most people with the disease recover, but up to 10 per cent may result in death and about 15 per cent may experience long-term complications like hearing loss, limb amputations or brain damage.

There are two types of vaccines available to protect against meningococcal, one for MenACWY and another for MenB.

MenACWY jabs are free for children at 12 months. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children can have the MenACWY jab as early as six weeks, and they can also have the MenB vaccine for free up to age two.

The MenB jab is also free for other children with specified medical conditions.