New figures show there has been a dramatic decline in the incidence of Meningitis C in Ireland.
The 2002 Annual Report of the National Disease Surveillance Centre said there were no deaths from Meningitis C in that year, compared to an average of six deaths in 1999.
It said thanks to a successful vaccination programme over the past three years, the disease has almost been eliminated.
Before the vaccination programme began in 2000, there was an average of 130 cases a year. Last year there were just three cases.
However, the annual immunisation uptake rates for childhood diseases at 24 months continued to decline in 2002. The uptake rate for MMR for children at two years of age was 72%, well below the recommended uptake rate of 95%.
The lowest uptake rates for MMR were in the Eastern Region at 64% in 2002.
