As the rainy season sets in, health authorities in Baguio are issuing a serious warning about Invasive Meningococcal Disease (IMD) — a rare but fast-acting and deadly bacterial infection that can claim lives within 24 hours.

Dr. Maria Lourdes Trajano, pediatric neurologist at Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center (BGHMC), stressed the urgency of early detection. “It can progress rapidly and become fatal within just 24 hours,” she said, urging parents to seek immediate medical attention at the first sign of symptoms.

IMD is caused by the Neisseria meningitidis bacteria, which spreads through respiratory droplets from coughing, sneezing, or close personal contact. Once inside the body, it can trigger severe complications like sepsis or meningitis.

Common symptoms include fever, headache, stiff neck, nausea, vomiting, and a purplish rash. Other warning signs are cold extremities, muscle pain, lethargy, irritability, and rapid breathing.

The Philippines has one of the highest meningococcal fatality rates in Southeast Asia, with nearly 50 percent of cases resulting in death. The Cordillera Region, in particular, witnessed a deadly IMD outbreak between 2004 and 2006, with 418 cases and 134 deaths — 38 of those cases occurring in Baguio City alone, where nearly half of the patients did not survive.

Survivors often face long-term consequences such as hearing loss, learning disabilities, and physical impairments that can severely affect a child’s development and quality of life.

Dr. Mary Crist Santos-Jamora, Pediatric Infectious Disease Specialist at BGHMC, echoed the call for vigilance. “Because it can start like the flu, parents may not realize how serious it is until it’s too late,” she warned. “Immediate medical care can make the difference between life and death.”

Jamora also pointed out that the B strain of meningococcal bacteria (serogroup B) has been the most dominant in the Philippines from 2018 to 2023, based on laboratory data from pediatric patients.

She emphasized that IMD continues to evolve and spread, especially in the context of frequent human movement. “This disease hasn’t gone away,” she said. “It’s still very much present — and dangerous.”