Davao City has recorded its first case of meningococcemia, a four-year-old boy died six hours later after being brought to the Brokenshire Hospital Integrated Health Ministries, Inc.

Department of Health (DOH)-Davao regional director Annabelle Yumang said the city had 13 suspected cases of meningococcemia this year, three of them died.

Dr. Allyne Aguelo, a pediatric infectious disease specialist, explained that the risk factors of a meningococcal disease was a previous upper respiratory tract infection, “probably a viral infection.” The child had a cough for a week. The bacteria would normally overwhelm the body’s defenses with lowered immunity.

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