A 55-year-old Billericay woman has died of meningitis in Basildon Hospital's intensive care unit, it has just been revealed.

Linda Murray was rushed to hospital after being found unconscious at her home on October 13, but died six days later.

Infection control nurse, Lisa Allen, said meningitis does not only target children and young people, as commonly believed. She said: "Bacterial meningitis has always had the ability to attack anyone of any age. It is not unusual for someone of that age to acquire it."

This month has been the worst so far in 2001 for cases of meningococcal disease (meningitis and septicaemia) in south Essex.

So far, there have been seven cases, compared with 34 cases from January to September. Only one other case has proved fatal - last month a woman in her 80s died of the disease in Southend Hospital.

Last year, there were 59 cases in the first nine months.

Ms Allen said the vaccine introduced two years ago to combat the C strain of meningitis seemed to be having a marked effect.

The £20m campaign was started in the wake of a spate of cases among university halls of residence.

Children up to 18 were targeted in a huge "catch-up" programme and now the jab is routinely offered to all babies as part of the National Childhood Vaccination Programme.

But Julia Warren of the Meningitis Research Foundation warned against complacency. While it was true there had been a "huge reduction" in group C disease, the over-20s who had not been vaccinated were still at risk.

She said: "We know that the vaccine is really saving lives, but we are seeing an increase in group C disease in the over-20s, and also in group B disease for which there is no vaccine. Over the last four years, the incidence of group B has almost doubled."

She urged everyone to be aware of the danger signs and to get their free minipack of symptoms by calling Freephone 080 88003344.