University student dies of meningitis in Italy

A 24-years-old university student died of meningitis in Milan, ANSA news agency said on Thursday.

Flavia Roncalli, a student majoring in chemistry at the University of Milan, died at the Niguarda hospital.

Another young student who frequented at the same laboratory, Alessandra Covezzi, died in July, according to local media. Experts said, however, that the two cases are not related.

"There is no meningitis alert in Milan," doctor Giorgio Ciconali, who leads a local public hygiene service, said.

He said meningitis "is unfortunately a disease that re-presents itself every now and then, fortunately with relatively low numbers. There's obviously a concern when a 24-year-old girl dies, a few months after another girl working in the same lab at Milan's State University dies of the same disease. But it's a quite exceptional event, which amazed us: for the moment there is no evidence linking the two cases".

Some 120 people have been vaccinated as a precautionary measures since the second woman's death, local media said.

Many people asked the hospital information about precautionary measures. "Only those who had repeated and close contacts with Roncalli must undergo prophylaxis," Ciconali said. Enditem