Meningococcal Warning Issued for Spilt Milk Canberra Attendees

December 5, 2022

ACT Health have issued a public health warning for those who attended the Canberra leg of this year’s Spilt Milk festival on Saturday, 26th November, as someone who was present at the event has since been hospitalised with meningococcal.

Festivalgoers are being asked to monitor for symptoms of the disease – which include sudden onset of fever, headache, neck stiffness, joint pain, a rash, bruises, sensitivity to bright lights, nausea and vomiting – with ACT Health’s statement adding that close contacts of the individual are being identified and directly contacted.

Spilt Milk Festivalgoers Urged to Monitor for Meningococcal Symptoms

Punters who attended the Spilt Milk festival last weekend have been urged to stay alert for symptoms and act immediately if they appear, as a person who attended is now has the disease, via @Liv_Ireland https://t.co/cl5Iw8zW08

— Canberra Times (@canberratimes) December 3, 2022

“We are urging people who attended the Spilt Milk festival at Exhibition Park in Canberra on the weekend to be aware of the symptoms of meningococcal disease,” said ACT Chief Health Officer Dr. Kerryn Coleman in a statement. “One of the more well-known symptoms is a rash but this may not be present at all, or may come very late in the illness.

“People can carry meningococcal bacteria in their throats and not have symptoms, but pass it on to close contacts. If you suspect symptoms of meningococcal disease, please seek medical review immediately.”

While meningococcal has been rendered rare due to vaccination, its impact can be severe, with children under five and people between the ages of 15 to 25 at the greatest risk of contracting the disease.

Back in August, NSW Health urged attendees of this year’s Splendour in the Grass festival to be wary of meningococcal symptoms after multiple cases of the disease were confirmed in people who had been present at the event. One of the patrons, a Sydney man in his 40s, passed away from the disease after returning from the NSW festival.

Following Spilt Milk’s Canberra event last month, the Ballarat and Gold Coast editions took place over the weekend. This year’s lineup included the likes of Flume, Mallrat, Genesis Owusu, Spacey Jane, The Wombats and more.