A Northland boy has died from suspected meningococcal disease, according to the local district health board.
The boy, a 6-year-old, attended Tautoro School near Kaikohe.
The school received a letter from the Northland DHB on February 13, which said the boy potentially had the disease.
A child who attends Tautoro School has been diagnosed with an illness that was potentially caused by meningococcal bacteria, the letter said.
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The DHB informed the school that the risk of another case is small, but encouraged family and staff to be alert for signs and symptoms in their children.
The boy died on February 13 at the Whangrei Hospital.
Losing a student is a massive loss to our small school community and no doubt our students will come back asking questions, principal Simeon Tracey said in a post on the schools Facebook page.
Since the news, the school has cleaned the classrooms the boy visited, the office, and the playground with antibacterial solution, the post said.
The school held a tangi on February 15 with family, students and friends.
Meningococcal disease is an infection caused by a bacteria called Neisseria meningitidis.
Symptoms of the disease can be similar to the early stages of a flu, but can get worse within hours or days.
Symptoms in children may include fever, crying, irritability, loss of appetite, vomitting, lethargy, rashes around the body, and stiff neck.
For adults, these symptoms may include fever, headaches, vomiting, lethargy, rashes around the body and a stiff neck.
A previous version of this story said this was the first confirmed death from meningococcal disease in two years. This was incorrect.
DHB says the risk of another case is small, but warns community to be vigilant to symptoms in their children.
