Officials at Los Angeles County Health have stated that the recent death of a Los Angeles resident from meningitis is unrelated to any other cases across the country, Medical Daily reported.
After 33-year-old lawyer Brett Shaad died from meningococcal meningitis earlier this month, many feared his case was connected to a strain of the disease responsible for 22 meningitis infections in gay men in the New York City area occurring over the past few years. Of those 22 cases, seven individuals have died.
But after examining the strain that Shaad had, officials have found the bacterial strain in New York is different.
“Public Health has not identified any other cases of meningococcal disease associated with this patient, nor identified any linkage between this patient and cases being reported in other areas of the country,” said the Los Angeles County Deparment of Public Health in a statement.
Thus far, 3,000 people have been vaccinated in L.A. over fears that the bacteria could infect more people. However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and California Department of Public Health have not recommended a vaccination campaign for the Los Angeles area.
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