Health Minister Dr. Ifereimi Waqainabete is urging Fijians showing any signs or symptoms of the meningococcal disease to urgently get medical attention.

Symptoms of meningococcal disease include a sudden fever, vomiting, headache and a rash, red and purple in colour on the skin.

The public health advisory has been issued after three people died this month from the disease.

“It’s important to understand that when someone is sick, they need to present themselves early to hospital because in the environment that we live in and the time that we live in now, this is a global problem.”

Meanwhile the meningococcal disease is spread from person to person via the transfer of saliva or spit.

This can happen when a person with the bacteria coughs on an uninfected person, or deeply kisses an uninfected person on the mouth.

It may also be spread through the sharing of drinks from the same glass/cup/water bottle or bowl, for the example in the consumption of kava and a taki of alcohol.

To date, nine people have died from the meningococcal disease with around 85 Fijians infected.