HEALTH chiefs have played down statistics which reveal that meningitis infection has soared by nearly 40 per cent in East Lancashire this year. Official figures reveal 43 Burnley and Blackburn area cases of the killer strain meningoccal meningitis - the type which has claimed the lives of two students at Cardiff University and struck down several others.

The total after 11 months is already a dozen up on the whole of last year, and December is traditionally a danger month.

But deaths from the infectious disease are down on 1995 when there were three fatalities - compared with two so far this year.

Health authority spokesman Dr Andrew Clark said the 1996 caseload total, although higher than in both the previous two years, was still within the expected area of variation and not cause for special concern.

But as the country enters the danger zone winter period for meningitis infection, and with the Cardiff tragedies focusing the national spotlight on the disease, Dr Clark called for renewed vigilance.

He says the infection, which traditionally strikes babies and very young children, also affects teenagers and those in their early twenties.

It is the second wave of infection involving older people, which has become more common in recent years.

Dr Clark said any Cardiff student from East Lancashire and their boyfriends or girlfriends should have already received antibiotics.

But if they were in this area and had not already received treatment, they should contact their GP to do so.

He said older teenagers should not simply assume it was 'flu and take to their bed - they should see their GP.

Parents of babies and young children should watch out for tell-tale signs of the disease - 'flu-like symptoms, irritability, vomiting, refusing feeding and rashes.

Older teenagers could also suffer drowsiness, severe headaches, sickness and neck stiffness.

The 43 cases throughout East Lancashire, while up on the previous two years, are below the 1992 total which caused a widespread alert.

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