UK meningitis outbreak in Kent linked partly to MenB strain

LONDON

Health officials in eastern England said on Tuesday that a recent cluster of meningitis cases in Kent has been largely contained, as efforts continue to treat and protect those affected.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has identified that some of the cases are linked to the MenB strain of the disease, although not all test results have yet been confirmed.

The outbreak, thought to have originated at a nightclub in Canterbury nearly two weeks ago, has claimed the lives of an A-level student in Faversham and a 21-year-old student at the University of Kent.

Eleven people are believed to be in the hospital with confirmed infections. Meningitis is a serious condition that can become fatal within 24 hours if not treated promptly.

The outbreak has been concentrated in the eastern parts of Kent, including Faversham and Canterbury. Authorities say the situation is now under control and has not spread significantly beyond the initial area.

Dr. Gayatri Amirthalingam from the UK Health Security Agency told the BBC that, as "serious and devastating" as the current outbreak is, "we're not seeing this spread more widely."

Hundreds of students at the University of Kent are expected to queue for a second day to receive precautionary antibiotics, as health teams work to limit further transmission.

Meningitis outbreaks have become increasingly rare in recent years, largely due to vaccination programs.

However, UK officials note that individuals over the age of 10 would not have been routinely offered the MenB vaccine through the National Health Service (NHS). The vaccine has been available to infants since 2015.