THE North Eastern Health Board (NEHB) has been notified of 17 cases of meningitis since the start of this year, compared with 13 notifications last year.
There has been one death this year due to the bacterial form of the disease meningococcal meningitis. There were none last year.
Ten of those diagnosed with meningitis this year were aged under five years, one was aged between six and nine and six were aged from 10 to 19.
Three cases were notified to the board over the Easter weekend in Dundalk, Navan and Balivor in Co Meath. A spokesman for the board yesterday described all of those affected as being in a comfortable condition.
The NEHB said eight of the 17 cases have been in Meath, six in Louth and three in Cavan/Monaghan. This compares with seven in Meath, five in Louth and one in Cavan/Monaghan in the same period last year. The spokesman said there does not appear to be a link between any of the incidents; all are isolated and there is no evidence of a cluster of cases.
Of the 17 cases, 16 are believed to be bacterial. The 17th case is as yet unconfirmed.
The spokesman emphasised that while very few cases of meningoccocal infection occur, it is important that parents keep it at the back of their minds when their child is ill, and contact their family doctor immediately if they are concerned.
If the child is very ill and the doctor is not immediately available, they should take the child to the nearest hospital casualty department, he added.