No additional Meningococcal cases detected, contact tracing complete

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) has revealed that the contact tracing process has wrapped up, after a case of "Invasive Meningococcal" disease, which spreads through the respiratory system, was detected in the Maldives.

On Saturday, the public health authority revealed that they closely monitored people who had been in contact with the person infected with meningococcal disease. They also said that contact tracing has been completed, and no additional individuals have tested positive for the disease.

Contact tracing work began on June 7, following the detection of a meningococcal case in the Maldives. The person who died from the disease was a 24-year-old Maldivian man who had returned to the Maldives after traveling to Malaysia.

Upon becoming aware of this situation, the HPA provided prophylactic medication to high-risk contacts to protect against the disease and took additional necessary precautionary measures.

Invasive Meningococcal Disease is a serious illness caused by bacteria. The few cases of the disease found in the Maldives are usually individuals who have been infected from abroad. Symptoms include fever, development of red spots on the skin, and headache. In severe cases, it can affect the brain (meningitis) and potentially lead to the spread of infection throughout the body (sepsis).

Meningococcal disease spreads through the respiratory system. People who spend a lot of time in close proximity to an infected person are at higher risk of contracting the disease. Symptoms of this disease typically appear between 1 to 10 days after infection.

The public health authority stated that those at highest risk of contracting the disease are individuals who spend extended periods in very close contact with the infected person.