Two Calgary children are being treated for meningococcal infections in the Alberta Children’s Hospital this week.
One case has been confirmed through testing and the other is “virtually confirmed” while waiting tests results, according to an infectious disease expert at the hospital.
“This is a serious infection. These two cases, while they are not siblings, were from the same household and they are considered related,” Dr. Jim Kellner said, adding he can’t release specific information about the children.
It is not known how old the children are or how exactly they are related.
“They are being treated at the hospital and we need to respect their privacy.”
While these two cases are related, Kellner wants Calgarians to know there is no need to panic.
“This is an important issue but there is no sense there is anything else going on. There is no concern this is any kind of outbreak. These two cases alone do not constitute an outbreak,” he added.
Kellner said there is no link between the two cases and the case Monday night where the seven-year-old boy died in Calgary hospital after being transported from Lethbridge.
Meningococcal infections can cause meningitis, a serious inflammation of the brain lining, and is contagious among close contacts.
