A INVESTIGATION has been launched into the mystery death of a toddler who died two days after being taken to hospital by his worried parents.

The boy, from the Blackburn area, was due to celebrate his second birthday in the coming weeks but became ill several days ago.

He was taken to hospital on Friday but died early on Sunday.

Doctors at first suspected he had contracted meningitis but a post mortem examination and blood tests carried out yesterday suggested the disease may not be respopnsible for the boy's death.

Further tests are due to be carried out by a Home Office pathologist and an inquest into the death was due to be opened and adjourned by coroner Andre Rebello today.

Mr Rebello said: "I am holding an inquest into the death of a boy of almost two years old who died suddenly on June 6.

"A post mortem examination on the child has shown the cause of death was unlikely to have been meningitis, although it is still unclear.

"Further tests are to be carried out in a bid to establish the exact cause of death."

East Lancashire Health Authority is responsible for public health in the area and monitoring any outbreaks of dangerous diseases.

A spokesman for the health authority said: "The child was admitted to hospital with a suspected case of meningitis. "We are aware of the child's death but there is still no confirmation whether it was meningitis or not. A full investigation is now being carried out to establish the exact cause of death.

"The investigation may take some time to complete."

More than 30 people from East Lancashire have been treated for suspected cases of the disease since the start of the year.

And there have been several cases of the brain disease in East Lancashire in the last month.

The last death from the disease in the area was two months when a 15-year-old from Gisburn died just two days after complaining of a sore throat.

Health authority bosses have warned parents to be on the look-out for the symptoms of the killer bug which are often mistaken for flu.

The early signs include headaches, an aversion to bright lights, stiffness of the neck and a purple rash on the stomach and back.

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