“It Is Deadly”: Confirmed Meningitis Case at Durbanville School Has Cape Town Parents on High Alert
- A confirmed case of meningococcal meningitis at a Durbanville school has prompted a paediatrician to issue an urgent warning to Western Cape parents
- Meningococcal disease can turn deadly within 24 hours, and a local doctor said parents cannot afford to sit back and wait for symptoms to worsen
- South Africa’s meningococcal vaccination rate sits below 1%. It leaves most school-going children unprotected against a disease that spreads easily in close-contact settings
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A confirmed case of meningococcal meningitis at a Durbanville school has sent shockwaves through the Cape Town suburb’s parent community. A local paediatrician urged families to act fast because with this disease, every hour counts.
Source: Getty Images
Dr Willem Smit, a paediatrician, issued an urgent public warning on Facebook on 20 February 2026. This was after Pikkie Paradys School and Aftercare confirmed that a learner on the junior campus had tested positive for meningococcal meningitis. Smit’s post called on Western Cape parents to check their children for symptoms immediately. He also urged them to look into vaccination, because “this is one disease you cannot afford to wait on.”
A disease that moves faster than you think
Most parents have heard of meningitis, but few understand just how quickly it can turn deadly. According to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases, even when the disease is diagnosed early and adequate treatment is started. Between 5% and 10% of patients can die within 24 to 48 hours after symptoms begin. Even with access to the best medical care, 17% of cases are fatal.
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Smit listed the warning signs parents must never ignore. They included sudden high fever, a severe headache, neck stiffness, vomiting, and sensitivity to light. Drowsiness, confusion, cold hands and feet, pale or mottled skin, and a rash that doesn’t fade when pressed with a finger are also red flags. He advised parents not to wait. He said parents should get their child to a doctor immediately after something feels off.
Parents react to the outbreak
Briefly News compiled comments from Dr Willem Smit's post below.
Lydia Van Staden said:
“We had a few cases in Pretoria schools. A 6-year-old boy passed a few weeks ago. It happened so fast. It is deadly”
Leanne Van Der Westhuizen asked:
“Do adults need to get vaccinated too?”
Joan Jaftha commented:
“All that I can say is my little nephew died in that period of 24 hours. Please adhere to the symptoms. Watch your child. He would be 44 years old. He was 1 year and 6 months old.”
Amy Fourie wrote:
“Is it something that the medical aid covers?”
Megan Cooper asked:
“Do you need a script for these vaccinations?”
Source: Getty Images
More articles about disease outbreaks
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- The Minister of Agriculture, John Steenhuisen, has appointed a council to implement the Department of Agriculture's plan to combat Foot-and-Mouth Disease.
- The Health Department has confirmed that there are currently two active cases of monkeypox, bringing the total number to 24.
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Proofreading by Kelly Lippke, copy editor at Briefly.co.za.
Source: Briefly News
