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This baby girl is battling the ‘worst case of meningitis in decades’

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PHOTO: Just Giving/Emma Simpson
PHOTO: Just Giving/Emma Simpson

Warning: Graphic images are included in this article

An 11-month old baby, who recently had a fourth limb amputated, is fighting for her life after being diagnosed with a severe case of meningitis.

According to The Sun brave little Kia Gott from Wyke in West Yorkshire, England, is battling with what doctors have described as “the worst case of meningitis in decades”.

She contracted an extremely rare type of the disease about two months ago and needed to have one of her arms removed.

The tot’s aunt, Terri Mitchell, has since confirmed that the youngster has had further operations to remove both her legs and remaining arm.

“Kia has had her fourth amputation and is still fighting,” Terri wrote on Facebook. “She’s a little sleepy after all her ops . . . Keep praying and thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all your well wishes and donations.”

Kia was rushed to a hospital in Leeds, England, a month ago and diagnosed with meningococcal septicemia – caused by a bacteria that enters the bloodstream – after her horrified parent had found her covered in a severe rash.

On her way to the hospital paramedics had to drill into Kia’s shin as her veins had collapsed and she later suffered cardiac arrest. Her mom, Vikki (30), has since been by her daughter's bedside in hospital.

Health specialists have told the family that Kia has the worst case of the disease they’ve seen in 25 years. The baby’s father, Paul, says Kia contracted meningitis because England’s National Health Service (NHS) had raised the age at which babies are vaccinated for the infection to 12 months.

Kia’s aunt Donna told the Telegraph and Argus that doctors have warned the sick tot’s parents that it’s likely she’ll be blind, lose her hearing and have brain damage – but her mom and dad are adamant that their baby girl will prove the specialists wrong.

“It’s a distressing time but messages of support are helping to keep them going,” Donna says.

“They’re taking each day at a time. Once all the surgery is over they’ll be able to move on to the next phase of coping.”

Sources: thesun.co.uk, metro.co.uk, thetelgraphandargus.com

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