State health officials have confirmed at least three out of a reported five cases of meningococcal disease in the past five days. According to the Oregon Department of Health, four out of the five cases occurred in Marion County and one in Polk County. All of the victims were children under 5 years of age and are in recovery, a news release says. State epidemiologist Dr. Mel Kohn says that they do not want to alarm the public, but they want parents to be aware of the signs of the potentially fatal disease.
Doctors say that the disease produces flulike symptoms, mostly in children and young adults.
Sufferers break out in a bluish-purple rash. Health officials say that the number of cases reported so far this year is less than half of those reported on average since 1994. Oregon Health Division's Meningococcal Info American Association of Pediatrics Centers For Disease Control Copyright 2001 by Channel 6000 . All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.