Toronto is reporting an outbreak of meningococcal disease that has left one person dead and two others infected with the bacterial infection.
The three affected people are in their 20s and 30s and began experiencing symptoms between July 15 and 17, according to a press release from Toronto Public Health (TPH) on Thursday.
The health unit says the infected people were born outside of Canada in countries that do not provide childhood immunization against the disease.
It is unknown where the infected individuals were born.
“TPH has not been able to identify a link between these cases. All three individuals have recently been confirmed to have the same rare strain of serogroup C meningococcal disease,” the statement said.
The most invasive meningococcal disease is associated with a bacterium called Neisseria meningitidis, which causes an infection in the lining of the brain, spinal cord, and bloodstream.
“People spread meningococcal bacteria to other people by sharing respiratory and throat secretions (saliva or spit). In general, it takes close or long contact to spread these bacteria,” says TPH.
More specifically, the infection can be spread by kissing, coughing, and sharing common items such as eating utensils, cups, cigarettes, and musical instruments.
Symptoms of infection include fever, aches, joint pains, headache, stiff neck, and photophobia.
The disease is known to progress rapidly and complications include low blood pressure, seizures, hearing loss, amputations, brain damage or death.
TPH is encouraging adults aged 20-36 to get the meningococcal disease vaccine as soon as possible if they haven’t already.
According to TPH, vaccines are 97% effective in infants within a year of vaccination and decrease to 68% after one year.
The health unit says it is monitoring vaccine demand and is “actively exploring additional vaccination channels”.
You can find more information about the disease on the City Council’s website.