Two people have died following an outbreak of meningitis in the Canterbury area. The deceased are confirmed to have been a student at the University of Kent while the other was a sixth-form pupil at Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School in Faversham.
A further 11 people from the Canterbury area are in hospital and reported to be seriously ill. It is understood that most are aged between 18 and 21 and a number are students at the university.
The “invasive” meningitis outbreak is mostly affecting those aged between 18 and 21, and a local nightclub is rumoured to be the source of the outbreak.
More than 30,000 students, staff and their families are being contacted by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) to inform them of the situation. Meningitis is an infection of the protective membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord and can be serious if not treated urgently.
Symptoms of meningitis include a high fever, being sick and a severe and worsening headache, but can also cause life-threatening sepsis. Other characteristic symptoms include a rash which does not fade when a glass is rolled over it.
A UKHSA spokesperson said it was arranging antibiotics for some students in the Canterbury area following the outbreak, and that the specific strain of the disease has not yet been identified.
A letter from the UKHSA to University of Kent students and staff, said people living and working in certain blocks in the campus should receive antibiotics “without delay”.
A spokesperson for the university said “The safety of our students and staff remains our highest priority. We are working closely with public health teams and are in touch with staff and students to ensure they get the advice and support they need.”
