Meningitis outbreak in Kent: second death confirmed as students urged to watch for symptoms
Meningitis is at the center of urgent public health action in Kent after an MP confirmed a sixth-form pupil as the second person to die in the outbreak, alongside a University of Kent student. Health officials say 13 cases with signs and symptoms have been notified between Friday and Sunday, with 11 people described as seriously ill in hospital, while some students have been given antibiotics as a precaution.
What is known so far about the meningitis cases and response?
Helen Whately, MP for Faversham and Mid Kent, said the outbreak had caused a “huge shock, ” naming a Year 13 pupil at Queen Elizabeth’s grammar school (QEGS) and a University of Kent student as the two young people who died. She said she had spoken to health secretary Wes Streeting and was expecting to hear from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) on Monday morning.
UKHSA said it had been notified between Friday and Sunday of 13 cases of people with signs and symptoms of meningitis. The specific strain has not yet been identified. UKHSA also said it worked with the University of Kent to provide advice letters to all 16, 000 students, covering recent cases, signs and symptoms, how to obtain antibiotics, and what to do if they feel unwell.
Officials stressed that not all students would be given antibiotics. UKHSA said antibiotics were intended for those regarded as close contacts of those affected, while others are in hospital.
What happens when the strain is still unidentified and close-contact tracing expands?
With the specific strain not yet identified, the immediate focus has centered on identifying close contacts and ensuring those individuals receive antibiotics quickly. UKHSA specialists have been interviewing those affected to identify close contacts, while a UKHSA letter to University of Kent students and staff indicated that people who live and work in certain campus blocks should receive antibiotics “without delay. ”
There are also indications that investigators are exploring potential links to a social event in Canterbury, after reports that some people who attended became ill. In Canterbury, Louise Jones-Roberts, owner of the Club Chemistry venue, said she had been contacted by UKHSA and told someone diagnosed with meningitis had been in the club over the weekend. She said the agency asked whether the venue had methods to trace who had attended, noting that an ID scanner exists primarily as a security measure and that tickets could trace ticket holders, while many people pay on the door.
Whately said she was asking the NHS urgently for more information and guidance, citing concerns about “rumours going round about where they may have picked it up. ”
What if students miss early warning signs while serious cases rise?
UKHSA has urged anyone with meningitis and septicaemia symptoms to seek medical help urgently. Symptoms listed by UKHSA include a rash, sudden fever, severe headaches, a stiff neck, vomiting and diarrhoea, joint and muscle pain, sensitivity to bright lights, cold hands and feet, seizures, confusion and extreme sleepiness.
Trish Mannes, UKHSA regional deputy director for the South East, warned that students could be at risk of missing symptoms because they may “easily confuse” them with other illnesses such as a bad cold, flu, or even a hangover. She added that students and staff may worry about the risk of further cases, while also saying close contacts have been given antibiotics as a precautionary measure.
Health officials emphasized urgency for anyone feeling unwell with symptoms, advising people to go to the nearest A& E department or call 999. UKHSA also noted that anyone can get meningitis, while it is most common in babies, children, teenagers and young adults.
