No information was available on the second patient, a teen-ager.
Meningococcal disease is rare, but potentially deadly.
Early treatment is crucial to avoid complications, which can include loss of limbs. Six cases have been reported in the county so far this year, out of 31 statewide. The state total is up, but epidemiologist Lori Lee of the Oregon State Health Division termed the bump within the limits of normal fluctuation. According to health officials, the most important symptom to watch for is a sudden onset of fever accompanied by small dark spots that do not disappear when gently pressed with a finger. While very young children, adolescents and young adults are the most susceptible, anyone may become ill.