The number of cases of meningitis in Wales as calls grow for vaccine rollout

There have been calls to extend the vaccine programme in Wales after the deaths of two young people this week

Health officials have issued an update on meningitis cases in Wales as calls grow to extend the vaccine programme after the deaths of two young people. Two students have died and the number of cases of meningitis linked to an outbreak in Kent has risen to 29, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said as alerts have been issued, including to schools and universities in Wales.

Today Public Health Wales confirmed that so far this year, between January 1 and March 19, there have been five confirmed cases of invasive meningococcal infection reported in Wales and in the last five years the disease has claimed five deaths.

Between 2020 and 2025 five deaths in Wales were confirmed invasive meningococcal cases that are recorded – two in 2022, one in 2024 and two in 2025. Three were due to type B meningococcal bacteria, one to type W and one where type was unknown, PHW data shows. Make sure you never miss Wales’ biggest updates by getting our daily newsletter

PHW issued advice to schools, universities and GPs in Wales following the fatal meningitis outbreak in Kent.

Cases have been confirmed at two universities, Kent and Canterbury Christchurch, as well as a number of schools in the county.

The outbreak is thought to have originated in the Club Chemistry nightclub in Canterbury.

Students in Kent have been given, and are being offered, preventative antibiotics and the meningitis B vaccine to help prevent infection. Hundreds queued on campus for the jabs but around 100 students were turned away on Thursday. officials at the University of Kent’s Canterbury campus stopped letting people in “due to capacity”.

The family of Juliette Kenny, a sixth former and one of the two young people confirmed to have died in the “explosive” outbreak in Kent are backing calls from the Meningitis Research Foundation to extend NHS access for the menB vaccine to teenagers and young adults.

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Reports say that around 700 staff and students were in the queue to get a vaccine at the University of Kent by 8.45am on Friday morning,

Pharmacies have been inundated with people wishing to pay for menB jabs privately.

Meningitis B vaccination is not routinely offered to children aged over two years or adults through the NHS in Wales. Health boards are asking people not to contact their GP surgery, or school immunisation teams to request the MenB vaccine.

University of Kent students returning to Wales may be offered preventative antibiotics and vaccination, if appropriate.

Eligibility for meningitis vaccine in Wales

Young people aged 13-14 years (school year 9) are routinely offered the MenACWY vaccine alongside the teenage 3-in 1 booster vaccine. It is a safe, non-live injection that protects against four strains of meningococcal bacteria (A, C, W, and Y).

These vaccines are free from the NHS as part of the national immunisation programme.

In a few areas, where the vaccine is not given in school, you will be invited to have it at your GP surgery.

Young people who are home-schooled or not in mainstream education may be offered the vaccine at their GP surgery or community vaccination centre. Appointments need to be made when due.

MenACWY vaccine eligibility also includes:

• Those who missed vaccination up to their 25th birthday.
• People with an increased risk of meningococcal disease due to an existing medical condition or treatment, travel, migration or their job.
• Close contacts of a confirmed case of meningococcal disease may also be recommended to receive the MenACWY vaccine.
• PHW says on its website: “It is important that young people who may have missed the MenACWY vaccine get it as soon as possible. This is important if they are planning to or are already attending college or university. Close mixing in confined spaces with lots of new people can increase the spread of infections. This is the perfect opportunity for infections such as meningococcal disease to spread.”

The introduction of a MenC vaccine programme in 1999 resulted in a significant reduction of meningococcal disease, PHW adds on it website.

This continued following the introduction of the MenACWY vaccine in 2015, with a further reduction in cases of MenC and MenW disease, .

In July 2025, the Hib/MenC vaccine given at 12 months was discontinued. This made the MenACWY vaccine given at age 13-14 the only MenC containing vaccine in the routine schedule.

Maintaining good uptake levels of the MenACWY vaccine is important to provide protection for young people.

PHW says this includes catching up on missed vaccinations. Uptake of the MenACWY vaccine also provides herd immunity. Herd immunity is when there is indirect protection by reducing the incidence of the disease across the population.

The Welsh Government was contacted for comment on calls to extend the meningitis B vaccine programme while in England health secretary Wes Streeting said there is “plenty of stock of vaccine supply in the country”.

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