An individual has passed away and two others are undergoing treatment after an occurrence of meningitis in Reading, as per the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).
This incident comes after a significant outbreak in Kent that resulted in the death of two individuals and the hospitalization of over a dozen others back in March.
The UKHSA reported the discovery of new cases in Reading, with one of the cases confirmed to be meningitis B, the same strain responsible for the cluster of cases in Kent.
Close contacts of the affected individuals are receiving antibiotics as a precautionary measure, with the agency emphasizing that the disease does not easily spread, and the general public’s risk remains low.
Dr. Rachel Mearkle, a health protection consultant, expressed condolences to the student’s friends and family, acknowledging the impact of the unfortunate news.
Addressing concerns about further cases, Dr. Mearkle reassured that meningococcal meningitis necessitates close contact to spread, and large outbreaks like the one in Kent are uncommon.
Efforts are underway in collaboration with partners to provide public health guidance and preventive antibiotic treatment to close contacts, with the overall risk to the public deemed low.
The student who succumbed to the outbreak in Reading was a attendee of Henley College in Oxfordshire, as confirmed by a local GP practice.
A statement from the Hart Surgery in Henley-on-Thames indicated that the UK Health Security Agency is actively reaching out to those at risk due to close contact with the affected student.
The statement further clarified that individuals not contacted by the agency do not require treatment, and that normal activities, including attending college, can continue as advised.
Given the minimal number of confirmed cases, there are no immediate plans for a local emergency meningitis vaccination campaign.
In the earlier Kent outbreak, 18-year-old student Juliette Kenny tragically passed away, just a day after displaying meningitis symptoms. Described as healthy by her father, Juliette was a student at Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School in Faversham.
Additionally, a 21-year-old University of Kent student lost their life during the same March outbreak in Kent.
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