SHILLONG: Despite the government taking help of experts from Delhi to fight meningococcal meningitis, the virus has remained a headache to the Health Department, claiming the life of one more person on Sunday, taking the toll from the disease to nine in the State. A third confirmed death due to meningococcal meningitis infection has been recorded in Woodland Hospital in the city. The victim, identified as Anju Malsom (18) from Tripura, was a daily wage earner and resided at Demthring near Madanriting here. He passed away three hours after his admission to the hospital at around 6 am of Sunday. A few months ago, two persons died of the disease in Woodland Hospital. More than 50 people with suspected meningococcal meningitis infection have been admitted to the hospital so far. Eight deaths from meningococcal meningitis, three confirmed and five suspected, were reported in the State last month. According to sources, Meghalaya registered 79 deaths out of 479 suspected meningococcal meningitis cases from January to August 25 this year. The number of confirmed cases stood at 145 and that of confirmed deaths at 8 during that period. Meanwhile, the State Government has reiterated that there is no cause for worry, saying the situation arising out of meningococcal meningitis is "not alarming." The virus that causes meningococcal meningitis loses its strength with the advent of monsoon or during this season. This monsoon in Meghalaya has been quite different. "The State is experiencing heat and humid conditions and less rainfall which are very rare at this time of the year," official sources said. The sources also said an unexpected dry weather and the problem of congestion were making it pretty difficult for the authorities to check the spread of the virus in certain areas of Shillong city. The government is, however, consulting experts from Delhi and making all possible efforts to effectively tackle the disease, the sources added.