4 patients infected with meningococcal disease found in southern region

YALA, 17 July 2017 (NNT) - The Provincial Public Health Office of Yala has disclosed that four patients infected with meningococcal disease have been identified in the southern region during the first half of the year.

Yala Provincial Public Health Office Chief Songkran Maichum said that the meningococcal disease can be found in people of all sexes and ages, but more commonly found in children than adults, especially children aged under 5.

The disease is transmitted from person-to-person through droplets of respiratory or throat secretions. Close and prolonged contact such as sneezing or coughing on someone, or living in close quarters with an infected person causes the disease to spread.

Maintaining healthy habits such as getting plenty of rest, consuming healthy food and keeping a distance from infected patients can help prevent the disease from spreading.

Meningitis symptoms include sudden onset of fever, headache, and stiffness in the neck. There are often other symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, increased sensitivity to light and an altered mental status. Sometimes the symptoms appear immediately or gradually over several days. Typically, symptoms usually develop within three to seven days after infection. Later symptoms of bacterial meningitis can be very serious. For this reason, anyone who thinks they may be infected with the disease should seek immediate medical attention. For more information, please call 1422.

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