An eight-month-old girl admitted to the Neonatal Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (NPICU) at Mater Dei Hospital this morning was diagnosed with a serious case of septicaemia, health authorities told The Malta Independent.

This development comes in the wake of two meningitis cases that hit children in the past days, prompting health authorities to give assurances that the three cases are unrelated and there is no cause for alarm.

Septicaemia could lead to meningitis, Hospital Medical Director Walter Busuttil said, and the girl admitted today is in critical condition. But there is no epidemic, he was quick to add. “There is currently no epidemic in the community or at Mater Dei, the children are all unrelated cases and carried different bacteria,” Busuttil said.

The three cases registered in the past days at Mater Dei Hospital are unrelated and the bacterial infections are different from each other, he said.

On 20 January, a boy aged four died of rare bacterial meningitis. A few days later a three-week old baby girl was also hospitalised with meningitis. Both cases were unrelated and the baby is still recovering in hospital.  

Busuttil said that the child who was admitted to hospital this morning has no connection with the other two children. Apart from the age differences, the child is suffering from a different, serious condition.

The girl admitted this morning has septicaemia, an illness which could lead to meningitis, Busuttil said. She is currently under the care of nurses and doctors at the NPICU.

Superintendent of Public Health Charmaine Gauchi said that in such cases risk assessment is carried out with those who were in close contact with the patient so as to make them aware of the situation. “We inform the parents of those children at the same nursery or school what the symptoms are for them to look out for any changes in their children.”

She said that it is important to note that so far there have been no case of children catching meningitis from one child to another in the schools, and that although there is a risk of transmission it is extremely low.

She also said that in particular cases, antibiotics are given to people who were in very close contact of the child to reduce the risk of the virus spreading and that risk assessment always do a follow up of the case.

 

What is septicaemia?

Septicaemia occurs when a bacterial infection elsewhere in the body, such as the lungs or skin, enters the bloodstream. This is dangerous because the bacteria and their toxins can be carried through the bloodstream to your entire body. Septicaemia can quickly become life-threatening. It must be treated in a hospital.

What are the first symptoms of septicaemia?

Fever and chills; peeing less than normal; rapid pulse; rapid breathing; nausea and vomiting; diarrhoea.