Travellers returning to the UK from the Hajj pilgrimage have been found to have contracted the potentially fatal invasive meningococcal disease
The Foreign Office has issued a warning about a severe illness found in UK travellers returning from abroad.
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control is urging vigilance for symptoms, which can worsen 'rapidly' and necessitate immediate medical intervention and emergency antibiotics. So far, 12 cases of invasive meningococcal disease have been identified - four in France and five in the USA until May 17, with most patients having undertaken the Umrah pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia.The majority of these cases are associated with meningococcus serogroup W and lack vaccination history.
There are a number of known strains of the disease and meningococcus serogroup W has been associated with higher disease severity and case fatality. The ECDC said those who are vaccinated there shouldn't be too much of a cause for fear. "ECDC assesses the risk of IMD to the general public in the EU as very low due to the very small probability of exposure and potential infection."
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