Mabel was just six months old, happy, healthy and fully vaccinated. Then she started vomiting. Just a few days later she died in her mum’s arms. Now the infection that killed her has reached a 20 year high.

Mabel died in March 2021 pneumococcal meningitis, a bacterial infection which can either be mild, or life threatening if it spreads to the lungs, bloodstream or brain.

Since Mabel’s death, her mum Carly has campaigned to raise awareness of pneumococcal disease.

The Immunisation Foundation of Australia today revealed that more than 4500 cases of severe pneumococcal disease have been recorded in the past two years. It’s prompted an urgent call for a new-generation vaccine to be rolled out.

“Invasive pneumococcal disease is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the impact of pneumococcal infections in Australia,” said Paediatrician and Infectious Disease Researcher Professor Peter Richmond.

“For every confirmed case of invasive pneumococcal disease, there are hundreds of noninvasive infections such as bronchitis, sinusitis and middle ear infections that we don’t record and which leave children and the elderly suffering,” he said.

The Foundation is now urging the federal government to rollout newer, broader-coverage pneumococcal vaccines which have been approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration.

“Newer pneumococcal immunisations protect against more strains than the vaccines currently available, but a funding decision is mired in bureaucratic red tape,” said Director of Immunisation Foundation of Australia Founder Catherine Hughes.

“New generation vaccines need to be rolled out through the National Immunisation Program without further delay. We simply can’t risk not having the best available pneumococcal protection.”