Vic: More than 1,200 line up for Meningococcal vaccination

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Vic: More than 1,200 line up for Meningococcal vaccination

A mass vaccination campaign continues in the south-west Victorian town of Portlandtoday to guard against the potentially deadly meningococcal virus.

More than 1,200 people in town were vaccinated against the virus yesterday at a community hall.

Staff from the Department of Human Services and the Glenelg Shire Council will givethe meningococcal C vaccinations again today from 9am to noon (AEDT).

A department spokesman says more than 800 people aged between 15 and 30, and 400 childrenunder the age of five were vaccinated yesterday.

Victoria's Chief Health Officer Dr ROBERT HALL ordered the mass vaccination after testsconfirmed three 19-year-old men and a 30-year-old woman from the town contracted the diseaseover the past week.

The woman remains in a critical condition in Melbourne's St Vincent's Hospital.

AAP RTV db/ldj/rk

KEYWORD: MENINGOCOCCAL VIC (MELBOURNE)