20 Cases of Meningitis Confirmed in Southeast England

A university and a high school student in southeast England has been killed by the recent outbreak of meningitis B in the U.K, with several confirmed invasive meningitis cases in Canterbury rising to 20. The majority of infected students are at the University of Kent, where a targeted vaccination and antibiotic program has commenced.

The U.K. Health Security Agency (UKHSA) described the event as “rapidly evolving” and warned of the potential for further cases. It revealed that antibiotics are the most effective treatment for limiting the spread of the disease and more than 2,500 doses have been given to students, close contacts, and others. The agency added that about 5,000 students living in university accommodation will be offered a vaccine, which should help prevent further spread of the disease.

Chief executive of UKHSA, Susan Hopkins, described the spread as unprecedented and explosive in nature. She revealed the outbreak likely stemmed from a superspreader event at a university gathering, possibly in halls of residence or at a party, though she did not confirm where the infection originated.

“I can’t yet say where the initial infection came from, how it’s got into this cohort, and why it’s created such an explosive amount of infections. I can say that in my 35 years working in medicine, in health care and hospitals, this is the most cases I’ve seen in a single weekend with this type of infection,” she said to multiple British outlets.

A Canterbury nightclub called Chemistry has also been identified as a potential location for a spreading event, according to the UKHSA.

The UKSHA said it was notified about the first case of someone being diagnosed with meningitis on March 13, a student at the University of Kent.

Several schools in Kent have reported confirmed cases, including: Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School, in Faversham; Norton Knatchbull School, in Ashford; Simon Langton Grammar School for Boys, in Canterbury; Highworth Grammar School, in Ashford.

Family doctors across the U.K. have been advised to prescribe antibiotics to anyone who visited the club between March 5 and March 7 and to University of Kent students, it said.

Chair of the National Pharmacy Association, Olivier Picard, told BBC Radio 4’s Today that there was no vaccine stock available for private purchase and pharmacies, which are often used to bridge the gap between NHS offerings and what people want, had run out. “There’s no date of resupply,” he said.

Meningitis is an infection of the protective membrane of the brain and spinal cord and can be serious if not treated quickly.

Early symptoms, which may not always be present, include:

• sudden onset of high fever
• a rash that does not fade when pressed against a glass
• severe and worsening headache
• stiff neck
• vomiting and diarrhea
• joint and muscle pain
• dislike of bright lights
• very cold hands and feet
• seizures
• confusion/delirium
• extreme sleepiness/difficulty waking

Students are particularly at risk of missing the early warning signs of meningitis because they can be easily mistaken for other illnesses, such as a bad cold, the flu or even a hangover. They are also susceptible to contracting meningitis because they mix with so many other students, some of whom are unknowingly carrying the bacteria in the back of their nose and throat, the UKHSA warned.