MONTREAL — “A part of you is in each heart of every person who loves you.”
This is just one of dozens of poignant Facebook messages posted on the memorial page of a young teen from Quebec who died after contracting Meningitis last month.
The Montérégie public health board has confirmed that a 16-year-old boy from Ste-Catherine, an off-island suburb of Montreal, died of Meningitis Type B on September 23.
“We’re not in a situation to require large-scale vaccination efforts.”
Patricia Hudson, the head of infectious diseases for Montérégie public health, told Global News that there have been four cases so far this year in the region, which she said was within the expected number of cases.
“These are obviously very dramatic and very sad cases, but we normally have an average of eight cases, and this year has been a little bit less, four cases, including this young man.”
Although Hudson acknowledged that Meningitis Type B can be a very severe infection, she said the disease is considered fairly rare and there is a low risk of transmission.
“It’s usually people who have very close contact, who live with the person or are in the same daycare centre.”
“You have to be in contact with saliva.”
The young man’s family and an unconfirmed number of students from L’Ecole secondaire de la Magdeleine who may have come in contact with the boy at school have been treated with antibiotics and vaccinated.
“It’s very rare that we would do large-scale antibiotics or vaccination activities for a school,” Hudson said.
“Obviously we keep on monitoring the situation, so if any increases are seen, we can go ahead … but at this point, we’re really not in a situation to require large-scale vaccination efforts.”
Should all Quebec children be vaccinated?
A new vaccine has been available since the fall, and some doctors told Global News that the government needs to add it to the list of vaccines covered by Medicare.
“It should be available for everyone.”
“Children will be well one minute, and 12 to 24 hours later, they’ll be in the ICU — or possibly dead — from this overwhelming infection,” Dr. John Yaremko said.
About ten per cent of those who develop Meningitis Type B will die from the disease, and many who survive suffer from serious health issues.
“For some children, there will be death, some will have neurological problems, some children will have their limbs cut off because of this type of infection.”
Watch: Meningitis vaccine: Is it worth it?
In fact, the public health board in the Saguenay is currently offering the vaccine to people aged 2-20, as there are seven times more cases of Meningitis Type B in that region.
But with 70 cases a year across Quebec, some are calling for universal coverage.
“Hopefully, it will become available for everyone eventually,” said Dr. Yaremko.
“This is a fairly new vaccine with not as much historical data on its use, so we’re obviously taking time to look at the data and figure out who it would help,” Hudson said.
“There is a firm recommendation to vaccinate those who have specific health conditions.”
Her words may be of little consolation to the young man’s family and friends.
Students from the teen’s high school held a vigil in his memory, and many took to Facebook to express their sadness.
“Ton sourire nous manque a tous. It’s your smile that will be missed by all.”
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