HPA confirms case of invasive meningococcal disease in Maldives

Health Protection Agency (HPA) of Maldives has confirmed the first local case of the contagious Invasive Meningococcal Disease (IMD) last night.

In a post on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), HPA detailed that upon confirming the case, the agency is now in the process of collecting information and conducting contact tracing.

Information is also being provided to those who have come into contact with patient zero, and preventative prophylactic medicine is being administered to close contacts, HPA said.

While no official sources have confirmed who patient zero is, local reports suggest that Maldivian football legend and former midfielder of the Maldivian national team Mohamed Arif (Baka), who passed away last evening while receiving treatment in the ICU of ADK had tested positive for the disease.

A source close to Arif told Mihaaru News that he was taken to the hospital for a high fever and physical weakness. The source also revealed that Arif's lab tests showed severe infection in his lungs.

HPA urges anyone who was unable to get the meningococcal vaccine before travelling to Hajj or anyone who did not have 14 days between the vaccine and travelling to Saudi Arabia to consult a doctor immediately if symptoms are noticed.

Vaccination prevents getting infected with IMD and typically requires about two weeks (14 days) to build up immunity to the disease from the day of getting vaccinated.

What is Invasive Meningococcal Disease?

Meningococcal disease is caused by the bacterium Neisseria meningitidis. According to the Center of Disease Control (CDC), the two most common types of meningococcal infections are meningitis and bloodstream infections.

With meningococcal meningitis, the bacteria infect the lining of the brain and spinal cord and cause swelling. With a meningococcal bloodstream infection, the bacteria enter the blood and damage the walls of the blood vessels. This causes bleeding in the skin and organs, CDC says.

However, both are serious and can be deadly in a matter of hours.

Symptoms of meningococcal disease can first appear as a flu-like illness and rapidly worsen.

Those who are deemed as "close contacts" have a higher chance of being infected. Symptoms typically show up 1-10 days after being infected.

Symptoms

- Fever (most common symptom)

- Stiff neck (most common symptom)

- Headache (most common symptom)

- Nausea and Vomiting

- Confusion

- Red spots or rashes on body

- Seizures

- Sensitive to light

- Weakness

- Fast breathing

How is it spread? Who is a contact

Meningococcal bacteria are spread to others through respiratory secretions (saliva or spit). Anyone who was in close or lengthy contact with a patient can be considered as a "close contact"

- People who live in the same house as the patient

- People who have travelled with a patient for a long duration in an aeroplane or bus

- Those who may have been close enough to the patient to have come in contact with their nasal liquid or spit

Those who have consumed water from the same bottle and shared meals with the patient, or those who came in contact with the patient for a short duration, and those who have come into contact with a contact of the patient will NOT be "close contacts".

(The above information about MID is sourced from the CDC and HPA).