Qld: Students to be immunised after disease strikes

AAP General News (Australia)
08-17-2001
Qld: Students to be immunised after disease strikes

An immunisation program to protect against meningococcal disease will be offered to
about 1,800 students and a number of staff at St Joseph's Nudgee College in Brisbane.

Queensland Health says the immunisation will be offered as a precautionary measure
from today after two students aged 13 and 16 came down with the same strain of the disease
in the past two weeks.

Last week the younger boy, who boarded at the college, died from the disease while
the other boy is in a critical condition.

Queensland Health communicable diseases manager Dr LINDA SELVEY says tests have confirmed
both cases were caused by the Group C strain of the disease.

She says Queensland Health is working with the school community to distribute immunisation
consent forms, further information about the disease and to conduct immunisation clinics
at the school.

AAP RTV ch/kj/sc/jh/jas

KEYWORD: MENINGOCOCCAL QLD (BRISBANE)

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