One student has died from meningitis and another four are ill with the disease in a school in south China's Guangdong Province, according to the provincial health bureau.

The meningitis outbreak occurred on Dec. 14 and resulted in five students, aged between 14 and 17 from the No. 1 middle school in Boyang town, Huazhou city, being admitted to hospital.

One student died later in hospital and the remaining four were in stable condition. The bureau did not release details of the identities of the students.

The bureau said the outbreak was under control and there were no further reports of meningitis cases in Huazhou.

The health authorities in Huazhou have disinfected the school and inoculated those who had close contact with the patients.

(Xinhua News Agency December 29, 2006)