LONDON (AP) — A meningitis outbreak in southeast England has led to the deaths of a university student and a pupil from a nearby school, prompting public health officials to quickly roll out medical interventions.
The outbreak in the county of Kent was described Wednesday as unprecedented by U.K. Health Secretary Wes Streeting, owing to the high number of cases appearing in such a short space of time. The first case was confirmed on Friday, and they had risen to 20 by Wednesday.
Most of them were linked to the University of Kent in the historic cathedral city of Canterbury. Students, many of whom have gone home for an end of term break, are being offered antibiotics as well as a vaccination against the strain identified as the source of the outbreak.
With public health officials highly visible, and students jittery, here is what to know:
Definition of meningitis
Meningitis is an infection of the membranes around the brain and spinal cord and can be caused by either viruses or bacteria.
Contracting meningitis can lead to a severe blood infection that is called meningococcal sepsis, which often manifests itself as a rash. It can be life-threatening if not treated rapidly.
Meningitis can also lead to limb amputations. The most dangerous outbreaks are usually a result of bacteria. The majority of the cases in Canterbury have been confirmed as stemming from a bacterial infection, or meningitis B.
Possible super-spreader event
Meningitis is a rare disease in the U.K. — around 350 a year — but it can spread in tight communities, such as university dormitories.
Students are seen as particularly vulnerable as the bacteria is often lying dormant in the nose or throat of individuals and can spread through coughing, kissing or sharing drinks and vapes.
Experts said many of those affected in the outbreak went to a nightclub in Canterbury from March 5-7. Doctors across the country have been told to prescribe antibiotics to anyone who visited Club Chemistry during those dates in addition to students at the University of Kent.
“This is so that anyone who has traveled home, or away from Kent, can easily access this important preventative treatment close to them," it said.
What can be done
Given the recent memory of the COVID-19 pandemic, people in Kent have started donning masks and keeping their distance from each other.
On the medical front, antibiotics are considered the most effective treatment to limit the spread.
So far, more than 2,500 doses have been given, including to some of those who visited Club Chemistry. A vaccination against the meningitis B strain is also being offered. The vaccine only became part of the U.K.'s childhood immunization program since 2015, so students at the University of Kent wouldn't have been vaccinated, though some may have taken it privately.
The U.K. Health Security Agency, or UKHSA, said there are enough supplies of the two-dose vaccine course, though some pharmacies have reported struggling to obtain stocks for people who want to pay privately.
The outlook
The number of cases is expected to rise because the infection's incubation period can be up to 14 days.
Scientists have said it's too soon to assess whether the strain in Kent is more virulent than others. The strain is undergoing whole genome sequencing to assess any potential differences.
The UKHSA issued an alert for the state-run National Health Service across England to look out for signs and symptoms of meningitis. However, this does not signal that the outbreak is spreading nationwide. The alert said the illness has been "severe with rapid deterioration” and urged clinical staff to take infection control measures.
Streeting said he wasn't concerned that the outbreak could spread as students go home for the Easter break.
“This is not currently a national incident,” he said.
