Virtually all young Northlanders will be offered free vaccination against meningococcal C disease because of the six cases including two deaths recorded since July.
The Northland District Health Board campaign to combat what it is now calling an outbreak of the disease will start on Monday with high school-based vaccination in the areas of greatest infection risk.
"The campaign aims to vaccinate at least 85 per cent of everyone in Northland aged 12 months to under 20 years," the DHB said today.
"It is envisaged the campaign will run for a 10-week period, from September 26 to December 16."
The vaccine is different from the one that was used against the B-strain meningococcal disease epidemic that occurred in New Zealand from 1991 to 2008.