Two NSW meningococcal deaths in two days

Meningococcal disease has claimed two lives in two days from the Hunter New England region, in cases that health officials say are not linked.

NSW Health have confirmed a young woman died from the disease in a lower mid-north coast hospital on Thursday, making it the sixth case from the region this year.

Just a day earlier, an elderly woman suffering from the disease died in hospital.

NSW Health said up to 10 per cent of patients in Australia with the disease die as a result of the infection.

"Meningococcal disease may be very severe and the community needs to be on the alert for its symptoms," Public Health Physician Dr David Durrheim said.

Despite the two deaths over the past two days, Dr Durrheim said the success of the meningococcal C vaccination program has helped reduce the number of cases in the past decade.

He said anyone with suspected symptoms of the disease should seek medical attention immediately.

MENINGOCOCCAL AT A GLANCE: * First symptoms: pain in legs, cold hands and feet and abnormal skin colour.

* Later symptoms: high fever, headache, neck stiffness, nausea, vomiting, reddish-purple rash and drowsiness.

* Spreads through close and prolonged contact of an infected carrier and by secretions from the nose and throat.

* Not believed to be spread through saliva.

* Most cases are seen in infants, young children, teenagers and young adults.

* In most cases, early detection and treatment results in a full recovery.