More than 1,300 staff and pupils at a secondary school were today being given antibiotics following the death of a schoolgirl from suspected meningitis.

The unnamed pupil, from Tiverton high school in Devon, died early yesterday morning. It is thought she died from meningococcal meningitis, according to a spokeswoman for the Mid-Devon primary care trust.

The spokeswoman also admitted that within the last two weeks, a second pupil from the school and a boy from a nearby village have been treated for the same meningitis virus and discharged from hospital

All 1,200 pupils and more than 100 staff are to be given antibiotics to protect them against meningitis.

The health authority is also trying to trace children who attended a birthday party with the girl last week and anyone who went to a disco in Tiverton on January 30.

Mark Kealy, consultant in communicable disease control at the Devon Health Protection Unit, said: "We want to reassure people that we are taking all the necessary steps to protect them, and we are advising parents to be alert to symptoms but not to be alarmed."

A statement released by Devon county council said: "We have been in touch with the acting headteacher and, although with medical issues such as this the appropriate health authorities take the lead, we will be carefully following all the advice they give us."