Parents at a Belfast school have been reassured that there is no "ongoing risk" to pupils following a suspected meningitis case.
Two fatalities have occurred due to the disease amid an outbreak in England, with the total number of suspected cases reaching 27.
Concerns arose after a 16-year-old student from Bloomfield Collegiate School was hospitalised with a possible case of bacterial meningitis.
However, a letter to parents confirmed that the pupil's illness was not caused by a bacterial infection but was meningitis "attributable to another cause".
Meningitis is an infection affecting the protective membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord.
Bacterial meningitis is less common but more severe than viral meningitis. It can result in blood poisoning or sepsis and may impact the brain.
The Public Health Agency (PHA) provided an update to parents, which NI has reviewed.
"We have now received additional clinical information, which indicates that the individual's illness is not due to meningococcal meningitis, but is a meningitis attributable to another cause," the letter stated.
"This type of meningitis does not pose any additional risk to your child or others. No additional public health actions are required."
The PHA also indicated there is "no evidence to suggest any ongoing risk to pupils or staff" and that children no longer need to be kept off school.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting informed the BBC that the meningitis outbreak has spread rapidly "at an extent we haven't seen before."
According to the NHS, meningitis can be transmitted through sneezing, coughing, and kissing. It is most prevalent among babies, young children, teenagers, and young adults.
What is the advice around meningitis vaccines?
Two vaccines provide protection against the main causes of meningitis and septicaemia.
Meningitis B, known as MenB, is the bacterial strain responsible for the outbreak of cases among young people in Kent.
The MenB vaccine is recommended for babies starting at eight weeks old, followed by a second dose at 12 weeks and a booster at one year.
This vaccine was incorporated into the UK NHS childhood immunisation programme for babies born on or after 1 July 2015.
The MenACWY vaccine protects against four types of bacteria that can cause meningitis: meningococcal groups A, C, W, and Y.
Pupils in Year 11 are automatically offered the MenACWY vaccine in school, with a second opportunity to receive it in Year 12 if missed initially.
Individuals aged 25 or under who are attending university for the first time and have not yet received the MenACWY vaccination can request it from their GP.
The PHA advises that if a child has missed a vaccination, parents should contact their GP practice to arrange an appointment.
Generally, it takes a couple of weeks to achieve full protection from a vaccine, and some require booster doses.
