A young adult is recovering in a Perth hospital after being diagnosed with invasive meningococcal serogroup B disease.
The latest diagnosis is the fourth confirmed case of invasive meningococcal disease recorded in the State this year.
Of the four cases reported in 2026, three have been caused by serogroup B and one by serogroup Y.
Last year, WA recorded 13 cases of invasive meningococcal disease, including 12 caused by serogroup B and one by serogroup Y.
Health officials stressed that while meningococcal disease is rare, it remains a medical emergency because it can deteriorate with alarming speed.
The disease can infect the bloodstream or the protective lining surrounding the brain and spinal cord, and in some cases can also affect the throat, lungs or large joints.
Early symptoms can include a sudden high fever, chills, severe headache, neck stiffness, nausea and vomiting, drowsiness, confusion and intense muscle or joint pain.
Some patients develop the disease’s characteristic red-purple rash but this does not occur in every case.
Anyone experiencing symptoms consistent with meningococcal disease should seek urgent medical attention immediately.
Vaccination remains the most effective protection against meningococcal disease.