No additional cases of meningitis linked to the outbreak in Kent have been detected, raising hopes that the outbreak has been well contained, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has said. The total number of cases remains at 29, the same figure reported on Sunday, with 20 confirmed and nine probable cases. Two people have died: 18-year-old Juliette Kenny and an unnamed University of Kent student.
The outbreak, described by health officials as the largest in the UK in a generation, is linked to the Chemistry nightclub in Canterbury on 5, 6 and 7 March. Nineteen of the 20 confirmed cases are meningitis B. Most of those affected are students from the city's two universities.
Earlier figures had suggested 34 cases, but five were reclassified following laboratory testing. The UKHSA expects some probable cases may be further downgraded. 'Whilst we expect some further probable cases to be downgraded in the coming days, this outbreak is not yet over,' a spokesperson said.
Public health experts say the lack of new cases is a positive sign. Simon Williams of Swansea University commented: 'The lack of new cases is a good sign and may signal that the Kent outbreak has been contained. However, we can’t rule out further cases linked to this outbreak because the latency period for MenB can sometimes be longer than a few days.'
Rapid distribution of antibiotics and vaccines has been key. As of Monday, 13,088 doses of antibiotics had been administered and 10,081 people vaccinated against meningitis B. A health official added: 'It looks promising and reassuring that cases have not increased. That suggests there’s not a secondary chain of transmission beyond the already-known chain in Canterbury.'
