The spread of the virulent strain of the bacteria which causes meningitis in young children appears to have caused a considerable increase in the incidence of the disease last year.
The eight health boards have yet to finalise their meningitis figures for the last quarter of 1999. But the 397 cases reported in the first nine months represented a 16 per cent increase on the same period the previous year.
The director of the National Disease Surveillance Centre, Dr Darina O'Flanagan, warned parents to be aware of the symptoms of meningitis, as December to February was the peak time for outbreaks.
In particular, people who have suffered from colds or flu may be more prone to the bacteria.
"Any viral illness can tend to knock your immune system for a couple of weeks," Dr O'Flanagan said. "If in the period your immune system is not functioning as it should and you meet this organism, your body's defences are not able to keep it in the throat and develop protection against it."
In 1997, 449 cases of meningitis were detected. The following year 447 were reported. The rise last year was accounted for by an increase in the number of group B meningococcus, which is most common in young children. There were also many cases of Group C meningococcus, which is also virulent and is more common among teenagers and young adults.
Dr O'Flanagan urged parents to be vigilant for the symptoms of meningitis. For babies and young children these included vomiting, irritability, fever, a high-pitched cry and restlessness. In teenagers and adults, symptoms included a stiff neck, severe headache, sensitivity to light, confusion and drowsiness.
If these symptoms were observed, parents should immediately seek a GP. Students living alone in flats should also go to a doctor if they had these symptoms, and not go to bed to try and sleep it off, she said. They should also arrange for someone to check on them.