Meningococcal disease is caused by a bacteria requiring close contact & is spread through saliva or spit.

According to a joint statement from Mayor Marty Walsh and the city’s public health commission, “Both confirmed cases were linked to daycare centers with a focus on serving children who have experienced homelessness. Anyone known to have contact with the two children was given antibiotics as a precautionary measure to decrease the likelihood of the disease’s spread”.

People who become infected will present symptoms such as severe headache, fever, vomiting & confusion within four days of exposure. The officials also encouraged concerned residents to speak with their doctors about vaccine options.

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