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The Chief Medical Officer, Sir Liam Donaldson, today reminded those travellers to the annual Hajj Muslim Pilgrimage to Mecca to get their quadrivalent meningitis jab before they leave if they haven't already done so. The Hajj takes place between 8th and 12th January 2006.

An estimated 50,000 pilgrims travel from England to Saudi Arabia take part in the Hajj pilgrimage each year. Travellers risk contracting a particular strain of meningococcal disease known as W135 if they are not properly immunised.

Since the Department of Health launched its awareness raising programme in November 2001, cases of meningococcal infection have been reduced and their have been no deaths due to the W135 strain. Action taken involved raising awareness of the risk amongst pilgrims and introducing vaccination as a requirement of travel.

Sir Liam said:

"Meningococcal infection is not only a serious threat to those travelling to the Hajj but also to their friends and family when they return. The number of cases from Hajj related meningitis W135 has dropped sharply and there have been no deaths in the last four years thanks to our awareness raising campaign backed up with making vaccination a requirement for travel, both carried out in conjunction with the Muslim community".

Details of the campaign have been circulated within a multi-lingual leaflet which highlights the need for immunisation against meningitis and advises on other health issues affecting Hajj pilgrims. This continues to be distributed through mosques, travel agents and GP surgeries. The vaccine is available through GP surgeries and specialist travel health centres.