The Southern Health Board was yesterday accused of failing to allay people's fears after confirming that there were four suspected cases of meningoccal meningitis in Cos Cork and Kerry but failing to say whether they were related.
The criticism came from the Fine Gael TD and SHB member, Mr Bernard Allen, who said the board's decision not to comment on the cases was only adding to people's fears following the death of a nine-year-old girl from the disease in Blarney last week.
"We have four suspected cases of meningoccal meningitis, but the health board hasn't told us where they are and if they're related. I'm not looking for personal details but I think we should at least be told the location and when they happened. People have a right to know if these are clusters of the disease because they are genuinely worried about their children. We don't even know if they are children."
He said there was an urgent need for proper guidelines for dealing with meningitis by both the Department of Health and the Department of Education, particularly on whether schools should be closed.
"I know a lot of parents in Blarney were very angry when Cloghroe National School wasn't closed last week when nine-year-old Amy Rose Grandon contracted the disease and tragically died from it."
Mr Allen also called on vaccines to be made available to all attending schools if the suspected cases involved pupils.
Confirmation that there are four suspected cases in the SHB area emerged following media queries about a 10-year-old boy from Cobh who was hospitalised on Thursday suffering from suspected meningitis.
The fourth class pupil at Rushbrooke National School was rushed to hospital, but yesterday the school principal, Mr Donal Kerins, said he had been in contact with the boy's family and he was responding well to treatment.
The health board refused to comment on the matter, saying it did not comment on individual cases. It is understood that an SHB doctor was sent to the school on Thursday to hand out leaflets and talk to staff.
