Teenagers in New South Wales, Australia, who are between the ages of 16 and 19 years, are the focus of the first part of a meningococcal C disease vaccination effort, because the group is at the most risk of contracting the potentially fatal disease, according to the NSW Health Department. The first phase of the A$300 million vaccination program is expected to take three years due to lack of vaccination programs in some schools and other difficulties. The program, which involves 1.2 million students and over 3,000 schools, will start vaccinating six- to 14-year-olds in 2004. According to statistics, there have been 97 cases of meningococcal disease in New South Wales since January, with five deaths.