Meningococcemia was not the cause of death of a patient who was taken last week to the University Health Service (UHS) on the University of the Philippines (UP) campus in Diliman, Quezon City. UP Diliman Chancellor Michael Tan told the Inquirer on Sunday that according to the UHS, the patient — who had displayed signs of septic shock consistent with the infectious disease — did not die of meningococcemia. Even before an official diagnosis was rendered, Catabui took pains to play down assumptions that the patient’s death on Thursday had been due to meningococcemia. “Moreover, appropriate prophylactic medications have been given to the hospital staff who directly participated in the resuscitative measures done to the patient,” Catabui said. 40-percent fatality rateThe UHS advisory said that meningococcemia was fatal in 40 percent of overall cases, even when antibiotics and intensive monitoring were administered right away.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer March 24, 2019 21:00 UTC