ISTANBUL Two recent meningitis -related fatalities have sparked public concern in the country, as medical experts stress that vaccination remains the only effective protection for at-risk groups against certain strains of the disease . Meningitis is a contagious disease that can be triggered by both viruses and bacteria, but the bacterial form tends to lead to more severe outcomes. An 8-year-old girl in the northwestern province of Kocaeli and a 14-year-old boy in Istanbul have recently died