A young man is in a HUNTER hospital after being diagnosed with the potentially deadly meningococcal disease in what is the sixth confirmed case this year.
Close contacts of the man have been prescribed clearance antibiotics and have been told to seek medical help if any symptoms appear
Early symptoms include nausea and vomiting, fatigue, stiff muscles and joints, high fevers and light sensitivity with the infamous purple blotches appearing later
Doctors at Hunter New England Health have told residents to be alert, but insist that an outbreak is unlikely as meningococcal is not spread as easily as people think
Close and prolonged contact to an infected person is needed for the disease to pass on, rather than sharing drinks, food and cigarettes.
The disease kills one in every ten people who contract it with health professionals stressing that early detection and treatment usually results in a full recovery.
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| Meningococcal Rash Photo courtesy travelmedicine.com.au |
