A FATAL meningococcal case on the Border has sent Lainie Dunlop on a mission, to make people more aware of the disease.
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Mrs Dunlop's daughter-in-law Zellina Whateley-Mann fell ill on May 13 and, less than 24 hours later, she died.
It started as a fever for the 31-year-old Walla woman, who decided to sleep it off.
Her husband, Shane Mann, woke and called an ambulance about 3.30am, after she was vomiting, had gastro and had started to turn purple.
Mrs Whateley-Mann died on the way to hospital.
Mrs Dunlop said her son, Shane, was left heartbroken.
“I got a call from Zellina's number, but it was Shane,” she said.
“He said ‘mum I’ve got bad news for you – it's really bad … Zel's dead.
“How does a healthy 31-year-old just die?”
The Walla couple met at Wewak Street School and had been dating almost 10 years when they married in 2014. A funeral for Mrs Whateley-Mann was held on May 27, following an autopsy.
Mr Mann has since gone to South Australia to spend time with his father.
Mrs Dunlop said she wanted the community to be aware of the disease.
“No one knew what was happening, we sat outside the hospital and we were dumbfounded,” she said.
“She was a beautiful young soul, she was so loving and loved animals.”
All those in regular close contact with Mrs Whateley-Mann were required to take antibiotics and be vaccinated as a caution.
Mrs Dunlop claimed she was told to keep quiet about the case by NSW Health – which a Murrumbidgee Local Health District spokeswoman denied.
“MLHD is not aware of any direction to the family not to discuss the case or the patient’s condition,” the spokeswoman said.
This was the second case of meningococcal in the region this year. The disease is considered rare by health professionals and is not easily spread.
Bacteria is passed between people via secretions from the back of the nose and throat.
Meningococcal Australia director Eliza Ault-Connell said people should learn the symptoms and act quickly.
“If you suspect it don’t wait for a rash, ask your doctor to rule it out,” she said.
“There are vaccinations for all major strains, we should be working with the community to make people aware if there are cases.” For more information, visit meningococcal.org.au.
