Health Minister Michael Ferguson announced in Hobart on Thursday morning that the government’s vaccine program would be expanded after the fifth confirmed case of meningococcal disease in the Hobart area.

“This is a massive expansion and will be rolled out for 100,000 people over the next three months,” Mr Ferguson said.

“It will cost in the order of millions of dollars.

“The broader program announced today will see eligible Tasmanians receive a free meningococcal vaccine from either a general practitioner, a pharmacist (for children aged 10 and over), special public clinics, and some high schools.

“The vaccine will cover the meningococcal strains A, C, W and Y.”

People living in Hobart’s northern suburbs will be targeted first because three of the cases were from suburbs in Hobart's north. The program would then spread statewide.

Mr Ferguson said testing indicated four people have contracted the W strain of the disease, including a sixteen-year-old girl who died.

There has been one confirmed case of meningococcal B, a 20-year-old man who has been released from hospital. There will be no free vaccines for the B strain.

“Based on advice from public health experts, the current vaccination program will be extended to include all Tasmanians aged between six weeks and 20 years (those born from August 1, 1997),” Mr Ferguson said.

“This cohort has been identified as the group at greatest risk of contracting and spreading the disease.”

Mr Ferguson said he had spoken to the mayors of the Hobart and Glenorchy City councils to seek their support for the expanded program which would be done through GPs and at public clinics.

An advertising campaign would begin this weekend to alert people to the free vaccines.

Mr Ferguson said public Health was in the process of mobilising the extended vaccination program. 

He said the expansion was based on a similar mass vaccination 15 years ago to target the C strain of meningococcal.

Meningococcal bacteria are spread through secretions of the nose and throat, and older teenagers are particularly at risk of carrying and transmitting the bacteria to others.

Symptoms of meningococcal disease such as fever, severe headache, severe muscle pain, and quickly becoming unusually unwell. Late in the illness there can be a rash. Infants can be lethargic, floppy and feed poorly.

Anyone who is concerned that they may be showing symptoms of meningococcal disease should seek emergency medical care.

Last year, in response to a noticeable increase in meningococcal W cases, the State Government intervened with an ACWY immunisation program for 15 to 19-year-olds.

Meningococcal ACWY vaccine was later included in the National Immunisation Program as a routine vaccine at age 12 months.