Victoria Gov urge teens to get vaccinated before schoolies

Graduating high school students have been urged to protect themselves against the deadly meningococcal disease as they prepare for end-of-year schoolies celebrations. 

A warning from the Victorian Government comes amid a horror year for the virus, with an alarming 30 per cent increase in cases this year alone.

Teenagers aged 15-19 have been offered free vaccines as they launch into summer festivities, with the warm weather providing ripe conditions for the disease to spread.

A warning from the Victorian Government comes amid a horror year for the virus (stock picture)

Statistics show five people have died and another 69 people have been hit with meningococcal across Victoria in 2017 — up by 22 from this time last year.  

Spread by close social contact such as kissing, coughing, sharing a drink or cigarette, young people and smokers are most at risk. 

The deadly disease causes inflammation of the lining covering the brain as well as a bacterial infection of the blood, joints and throat. 

Signs and symptoms include fever, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, drowsiness, discomfort and muscle pain. 

Mike Rolls had never even heard of Meningococcal before he contracted it when he was 18 years old and lost his right leg, left foot, two fingers and part of his nose to the disease.

Victoria experienced an alarming 30 per cent increase in cases this year alone (stock picture)

‘I went off on a footy trip across to Hobart and somewhere along the line I was struck down with Meningococcal disease,’ the now 30-year-old said. 

‘My injuries were so horrific, I went down from 80kg to 47kg and they gave me a five per cent chance to live.’ 

He urges all teenagers to utilise the free vaccine while they can as no one should have to go through what he did.