Meningitis cut by 85%

Just one case was reported among babies

A massive immunisation programme aimed at cutting the number of cases of meningitis C among children and teenagers has seen an 85% reduction in the disease, new figures show.

More than 15 million doses of the vaccine have been administered in the UK to babies and teenagers - the highest risk groups - during the past 10 months.

The latest figures from the Public Health Laboratory reveal that only six cases of the disease have been reported amongst 15- to 17-year-olds in the past 12 weeks, compared to 26 in the same period last year.

Just one case was reported amongst children under one year old, compared to 19 in 1999.

But the research shows that incidences of the disease continue to rise among those have not been immunised.

Roll-out programme

The new figures come just weeks after reports that the vaccine was not safe and following the deaths of 11 people who had received the Chiron jab.

But the Department of Health insisted the vaccine was safe and the deaths were not in any way linked to it.

The UK Government is the first administration in Europe to introduce the vaccine and ministers intend to roll out the vaccine programme to all children under the age of 18 by the end of 2000.

But there is still no vaccine for the most common strain of the disease, meningitis B, which can be fatal.

The meningitis bug gained a high-profile victim this week when Posh Spice Victoria Beckham revealed she was suffering from the viral form of the disease - less serious than the bacterial strain.

She was ordered to rest by doctors and had to cancel a string of appearances in Germany because she felt unwell.

She is resting at home.