Urgent meningitis vaccinations for hundreds after pupils die

HUNDREDS OF schoolchildren are to be vaccinated againstmeningitis today amid fears of an outbreak of the disease, which claimed the lives of two teenagers on New Year's Eve.

Pupils at Wath Comprehensive School in Wath-on-Dearne, South Yorkshire, were given antibiotics as a precautionary measure yesterday after the deaths of two fellow pupils, Claire Wilkinson, 14, and Adam Rawson, 15, who died within 24 hours of first showing symptoms.

An immunisation programme at the school, which has 1,700 pupils, will start today and continue tomorrow, when pupils will be given injections as a further precaution. The school, once attended by William Hague, leader of the Conservative Party, will be closed for lessons until Wednesday at the earliest.

The school's head teacher, Robert Godber, described the two victims as "lively and happy" teenagers who contributed greatly to school life. He said the school was shocked by what had happened and felt deeply for the victims' families.

"We will give whatever support we can, both to them and to many others who will be anxious at this time," he said.

Friends of the two victims were in a subdued mood yesterday as they waited in the school hall to be given antibiotics.

Richard Kinsella, 15, from Wath, said he was shocked and frightened by the news. "I never thought it was something that could happen here," he said. His friend, Andrew Bunker, 15, added: "It scared me but we have been told what to look out for and we will be checking for symptoms."

There was controversy over the hospital treatment of one of the pupils who died. Claire Wilkinson's mother complained that her daughter had been left for hours on a hospital trolley after a specialist unit at a nearby hospital said that it had no beds available.

Claire Wilkinson was transferred to the Queen's Medical Centre, 40 miles away in Nottingham, nearly seven hours after she was first admitted to hospital on Wednesday.

Rotherham General Hospital yesterday defended its decision to move the teenager to the Nottingham hospital, which has a paediatric intensive care unit. A spokesman said: "It was decided that she needed specialist paediatric intensive care. She was taken to Nottingham because there were no beds at the unit in Sheffield six miles away."

It emerged that there had been three other cases of meningitis in the Rotherham area within the last week, but Rotherham Health Authority dismissed fears of an epidemic. Tim Patterson, director of public health, said: "During the week we had three other cases but we don't think they were related. This number of cases is not unexpected at this time of year."

Dr Patterson added that he did not think that the school in Wath was the source of the outbreak. "We believe the victims contracted the disease as a result of socialising over the Christmas period," he said.

n More than 2,000 schoolchildren in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, will be given antibiotics and vaccinations against meningitis this week after the death of a 12-year-old girl. Six children from Tyne and Wear have been infected by the bacteria over the past 10 weeks. Dr Bashir Malik, consultant in public health for Gateshead Health Authority, urged parents not to panic and said the vaccination programme was a purely preventive measure.

Questions and Answers on a Deadly Disease

What is meningitis?

Meningitis is an inflammation of the meninges, the membranes that cover the brain. It can be caused by bacteria or viruses.

How dangerous is it?

Although the more common viral form is very debilitating, only the bacterial form is life-threatening. Meningococcal meningitis, the most common bacterial strain, can be deadly, especially when it leads to septicaemia. About one in 10 of all meningitis victims dies. A further 7 per cent are left handicapped. Early diagnosis is crucial because of the speed at which the disease strikes.

Where does it come from?

About a quarter of young adults carry meningococcal bacteria in their throats.

What are the symptoms?

Initially like flu. Sufferers often have a severe headache, a stiff neck and a temperature. Vomiting, intolerance to bright lights, back and joint pains and drowsiness or confusion are also symptoms.

A bruise-like rash is indicative of septicaemia, which causes half of all deaths. A test against the disease involves pressing a glass against the rash. If it remains visible, medical advice should be sought immediately.

How common is the disease?

Last year there were about 2,600 cases, resulting in about 270 deaths. In the past 10 years, the number of cases in Britain has doubled, with more than 200 deaths annually.

When are people most at risk?

There is a big increase in meningitis cases in November and December because of increased social interaction, according to the National Meningitis Trust.

Linus Gregoriadis