Six West Australians have been confirmed with meningococcal disease in the past week — the latest case is an adult.

The WA Health Department said in a statement today that the patient was recovering in hospital after being diagnosed with the W strain of the bacterial infection.

A baby was reported to have meningococcal disease earlier this week, following four new cases last week, three of them children.

There have been 33 cases reported so far this year, including 24 W strain infections.

Meningococcal disease is an uncommon and life-threatening illness.

SOURCE: The West Australian Newspaper