Meningitis cases rise to 20 as health officials deal with outbreak

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said that, as of 5pm on Tuesday, some 20 cases of meningitis had been reported to it, up from 15 previously.

Of these, nine cases have been confirmed in the lab and 11 remain under investigation.

Six of the confirmed cases have been confirmed as the meningitis B strain.

A statement said: “All those affected who are currently linked to the outbreak are young adults.

“UKHSA is aware of a baby with confirmed meningococcal group B infection who is not currently linked to the outbreak but UKHSA will continue to investigate this case.”

GPs across the country have now been told to prescribe antibiotics to anyone who visited a nightclub in Canterbury from March 5-7, plus students from the University of Kent.

This is to ensure anyone who has left campus can make sure they get the right treatment.

The UKHSA said: “This is a rapidly evolving situation and there may be further cases as those with symptoms are encouraged to seek medical advice.

“Antibiotics remain the most effective treatment to limit the spread of invasive meningococcal disease.

“So far, over 2,500 doses have been given to students, close contacts and others, including some of those who attended Club Chemistry between March 5-7.

“GPs across the country will today be advised to prescribe antibiotics to anyone who visited Club Chemistry between March 5-7 and to University of Kent students, if they have been asked to seek preventative treatment.

“This is so that anyone who has travelled home, or away from Kent, can easily access this important preventative treatment close to them.”

Trish Mannes, UKHSA regional deputy director for the South East, said antibiotics are “the main intervention that will help protect people and halt the spread of the outbreak”.

She added: “As a further precaution and together with the NHS, we are beginning to roll out a targeted menB vaccination programme.

“This will initially be offered to 5,000 University of Kent students resident at the Canterbury campus, with the possibility that it may be extended, as it is kept under continual review.

“If you think you may have symptoms of meningitis, don’t hesitate to seek medical help by contacting your GP or calling NHS 111.

“Seeking early treatment can save lives.”

Two students have died during the outbreak, including 18-year-old Juliette Kenny, who was studying for her A-Levels.

The number of cases is expected to rise because the incubation period for the infection to when symptoms appear is two to 14 days.

The outbreak is being viewed by experts as unprecedented owing to the high number of cases appearing in such a short space of time.

A meeting of local Integrated Care Board officials and UKHSA regional staff is taking place on Wednesday morning, with an announcement expected later on the vaccine rollout.

The UKHSA stressed there is plenty of NHS stocks of menB vaccines after pharmacies reported they were struggling to obtain stock for people who want to pay privately.

A UKHSA spokeswoman told the Press Association on Wednesday of NHS stock: “There are sufficient menB vaccine stocks.

“We will work with local resilience partners to ensure effective distribution.”

All reported cases so far have a link to Kent, according to the UKHSA. At least one person who fell ill and had links to Kent attended a London hospital.

This person had “no community contacts in London”, the UKHSA said, suggesting the risk of spread in the capital is low.

Health officials stressed that people should not skip antibiotics if prescribed them, with a single tablet of Ciprofloxacin reducing the risk of meningitis in a household by about 80% to 90%.

UKHSA chief executive Susan Hopkins said: “This looks like a super-spreader event, with ongoing spread within the halls of residence in the universities.

“There will have been some parties, particularly around this, so there will have been lots of social mixing.

“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 healthcare and hospitals, this is the most cases I’ve seen in a single weekend with this type of infection.

“It’s the explosive nature that is unprecedented here – the number of cases in such a short space of time.

“NHS were initially managing it as a major incident in the region but they have now increased that overlay to having a national-level oversight as well.”

England’s deputy chief medical officer, Dr Thomas Waite, said: “This is by far the quickest-growing outbreak I’ve ever seen in my career, and I think probably any of us have seen, of meningitis for a very long time.

“Whilst it remains an outbreak that is having its consequences in Kent, it is obviously of national significance.”

Laboratory scientists are urgently trying to work out if the spread is caused by a possible mutant strain of menB.

The genome of the menB strain identified in the outbreak is undergoing whole genome sequencing to see if there are any differences to known strains.

It will also be tested against available menB vaccines, though experts stressed people should get a jab if eligible.

On Tuesday, Health Secretary Wes Streeting said most students would not already be vaccinated against menB.

He said the menB vaccine has been available on the NHS since 2015 as part of routine childhood immunisations, “but clearly most students would not be vaccinated”.

The vaccine programme may also expand further if other groups are deemed to be at risk.

Mr Streeting has also asked the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) to “re-examine eligibility for meningitis vaccines” for a wider group of people.

It is now known that on Saturday, French authorities alerted the UKHSA to a confirmed case in France in a person who had attended the University of Kent.

There are four centres open in Canterbury offering antibiotics, with 11,000 doses available on site. People who attended Club Chemistry are still being urged to come forward, as are those on campus.