Description of the situation
01 January 2000
Disease Outbreak Reported
The Ministry of Health has informed WHO of an outbreak of meningococcal disease which began in early December 1999, in the Bàcs-Kiskun area (in Kecskemet city and Szabadszallas town). As of 5 January, 30 cases and 4 deaths had been reported (case-fatality rate, 13.3%). The National Epidemiology Centre in Budapest has confirmed Neisseria meningitidis groups B and C. Protection and prevention measures include chemoprophylaxis of close contacts with rifampicin and immunization (with bivalent A/C serogroup vaccine).