The father of a Co Donegal student who died from meningococcal meningitis on Monday has urged parents to ensure their children are vaccinated.
From his home in Muff yesterday, Mr Michael McMenamin said the family were devastated by the death of 20-year-old Maurice, who was a student at the Letterkenny Institute of Technology.
"He was the picture of health, a very strong young fellow. He was playing with the local GAA team for years. He was very active, very much part of the community," Mr McMenamin said.
Maurice's illness developed suddenly. He had been to a disco last Thursday night, but started to feel unwell on Friday. He was admitted to Letterkenny General Hospital on Saturday.
"There was a very sudden deterioration when he got into the hospital. He was put on a ventilator and within a few minutes that was it," Mr McMenamin said.
He said he wanted to encourage young people to take up the offer of vaccination. "And I'd say to parents to check immediately if their children are vaccinated or not, and if they aren't, to do it immediately, and not to put it off until next week or next month, because that's what happens, and then it goes out of your mind.
"They need to check for older children because at that age they feel they're invincible," he said.
Figures from the National Disease Surveillance Centre yesterday showed there have been 10 deaths so far this year from meningococcal disease. Since the introduction of a vaccine for Group C disease in September of last year there has been a reduction in both infection and deaths.
The two most common strains of meningococcal infection in Ireland are groups B and C. Of the 10 people who died this year, six were due to group B and three to C. None of the three individuals had received the vaccine.
In 2000 a total of 25 people died from meningococcal disease, 13 from group B and 11 from group C. In 1999 there were 17 deaths, 11 from group B and five from group C. In each of the three years one person died from a less common strain of the infection.
No vaccine exists for group B meningococcal infection, but a vaccine against group C is available free for everybody under 23. It has been administered through schools and colleges and is also available through GPs.
Dr Ann Shannon of the North Western Health Board said yesterday the take-up among younger children was high, but lower in the 18-22 age group.