Two people have died and 11 are seriously ill following an outbreak of invasive meningococcal disease at the University of Kent, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has confirmed. The cases, which involve a combination of meningitis and septicaemia, have been detected in the Canterbury area, where students have been provided with antibiotics as a precaution.
The UKHSA stated that the fast-acting disease is caused by meningococcal bacteria spreading to the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord, leading to meningitis, and infecting the bloodstream, causing sepsis. Symptoms include rashes, sudden fever, severe headaches, stiff neck, vomiting, diarrhoea, joint and muscle pain, sensitivity to light, cold hands and feet, seizures, confusion, and extreme sleepiness.
One of the deceased was a University of Kent student, while the other victim has not been identified. The specific strain of the bacteria has not yet been determined. Specialists are interviewing families to identify close contacts and arrange antibiotics.
Trish Mannes, UKHSA south-east deputy director, expressed condolences and urged vigilance: “Meningococcal disease can progress rapidly, so it’s essential that students and staff are alert to the signs and symptoms... Students are particularly at risk of missing early warning signs because they can be easily confused with other illnesses such as a bad cold, flu or even a hangover.”
A University of Kent spokesperson said they were “deeply saddened” by the death and are working with public health teams to provide support. Tom Nutt, chief executive of charity Meningitis Now, highlighted that university students are at increased risk due to close living and socialising conditions.
