Hanoi, June 12 (IANS): Two people in a family in Vietnam's northern region died of suspected meningococcal meningitis disease while two other family members were in critical condition, according to the National Tropical Disease Hospital on Wednesday.

A 38-year-old male patient being treated at the hospital's emergency department said within only five days, two members of his family, his 22-month-old daughter, and mother, had died after showing symptoms like high fever, headache, and diarrhoea, Xinhua news agency reported.

He and his 11-year-old son were diagnosed with meningococcal meningitis disease a few days later.

Tran Van Bac, deputy head of the hospital's emergency department, said the cause of death had not been determined, but there is a high risk that the deceased were infected with meningococcal meningitis disease.

According to doctors, meningococcal disease is transmitted from human to human through the respiratory tract. It is difficult for early diagnosis as the disease progresses quickly.