Two pupils from a Cardiff secondary school have become unwell with meningitis, it has been confirmed. Public Health Wales said it is working with Cardiff and Vale University Health Board to offer antibiotics and vaccines to pupils in years 12 and 13 at Bishop of Llandaff Church in Wales High School in Cardiff.
The NHS trust said close contacts of the students have been identified and have already been given antibiotics to stop the bacteria spreading. It explained that the decision to offer antibiotics to all pupils in years 12 and 13 is based on standard public health guidance for schools and no outbreak has been declared.
The two pupils have caught meningitis caused by the group B meningococcal bacteria. Dr Graham Brown, consultant in communicable disease control at Public Health Wales, said: "Meningococcal bacteria are carried in the back of the throat of about one in 10 people at any one time but only very rarely cause illness. The bacteria do not spread easily. People who have had prolonged close contact with the cases are at a slightly greater risk of getting ill."
