A CASE of invasive meningococcal was discovered in Central Queensland last month.

It is the second instance of the disease in the Central Queensland Hospital and Health Service area this year.

CQHHS Public Health Director Dr Gulam Khandaker said all close contacts of the case were followed up and given antibiotics.

“There was one case of invasive meningococcal disease in Central Queensland in

September,” he said.

“This is the second case of this disease in the region for 2020.

“In the past five years there has been an average of three cases per year.”

Invasive meningococcal disease occurs when bacteria invade the body from the throat or nose.

Those bacteria are carried harmlessly at the back of the throat or in the nose in about one in 10 people at any given time.

There are two main forms of the disease in the relatively few people seriously affected by the bacteria: one form consists in the brain and spinal cord being infected, and the other results in blood poisoning.

Symptoms of meningococcal include fevers, vomiting, headaches, rashes and bruises that do not fade under pressure, and more.

Treatment usually involves a trip to hospital and antibiotics.