A five-month-old baby boy has died from meningitis in Co Carlow, according to the South Eastern Health Board.
The board yesterday appealed to the public to be alert for signs and symptoms of the disease.
It confirmed it had also thought the death of a six-year-old boy in Co Kilkenny in the past week might have been as a result of meningitis but the disease had now been ruled out as a cause of that child's death. An inquest will be held later.
Dr Máire O'Connor, a public health specialist with the SEHB, said most people made a complete recovery if meningitis was diagnosed early and treated promptly.
Symptoms to watch out for include fever, vomiting, severe headache, neck stiffness and joint pains, dislike of bright lights, drowsiness or coma. In babies the symptoms can include a high-pitched cry, refusing feeds or vomiting, fever, fretfulness and difficulty in waking.
A rash of tiny red pinprick marks can sometimes develop. The condition of a person with meningitis will deteriorate rapidly, sometimes in a matter of hours.
