A school pupil has been confirmed to be the second person to die following a meningitis outbreak in Kent, an MP has said.
Over the weekend it was reported that a Kent University student was one of two people who died after contracting the disease, while 11 more people were seriously ill in hospital.
On Monday, Helen Whately, MP for Faversham and Mid Kent, said: “The outbreak of meningitis in our area is a huge shock. I am deeply saddened by the lives of the young people lost – a year 13 pupil at QEGS (Queen Elizabeth’s Primary School) and a Kent College student. My heart goes out to their families.”
In a Facebook post, she added: “It is also incredibly worrying for the families of hospitalized young people and other people at risk. I am urgently asking the NHS for more information and guidance, especially given the rumors circulating about where they may have caught it.”
Whately said he had spoken to the health secretary, Wes Streeting, and expected to hear from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) on Monday morning.
The UKHSA said it had been notified between Friday and Sunday of 13 cases of people with signs and symptoms of meningitis. Some students at the University of Kent have been given antibiotics while others are in hospital. The specific strain of meningitis has not yet been identified.
“We can confirm that UKHSA has worked with the University of Kent to provide advice letters to all 16,000 students, advising on recent cases, signs and symptoms, how to get antibiotics and what to do if they are not feeling well,” a UKHSA spokesperson said. Not all students should receive antibiotics, only those considered close contacts of those affected.
Louise Jones-Roberts, owner of Club Chemistry in Canterbury, said she had been contacted by the agency.
“We were told that someone was at our club over the weekend and has since been diagnosed with meningitis. They asked us if we had any method of tracking who had been at us.
“We have an ID scanner, but it’s more of a security measure… It takes pictures of some driver’s licenses, ID cards, etc. We have event tickets so we can track ticket holders, but most people pay at the door.”
He said his thoughts were with the families of those affected by the outbreak. “I am devastated. I can’t imagine what the families are going through. Our thoughts are with the families. Meningitis affects young, healthy people and this is devastating.”
Meningococcal bacteria can cause serious illness, including inflammation of the lining of the brain and blood poisoning, which can quickly lead to sepsis.
Anyone can get meningitis, but it is most common in babies, children, teenagers, and young adults.
The UKHSA said anyone with symptoms of meningitis and sepsis should seek medical help urgently. Symptoms include rash, sudden fever, severe headaches, stiff neck, vomiting and diarrhea, joint and muscle pain, sensitivity to bright lights, cold hands and feet, seizures, confusion, and extreme drowsiness.
