Two pupils at different schools in Reading, Berkshire, are currently undergoing treatment for meningitis, while a student at a third school has died, raising concerns about a potential fresh outbreak of the life-threatening infection.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has confirmed that two young people are receiving medical care. One attends Reading Blue Coat School, and the other is a pupil at Highdown Secondary School and Sixth Form Centre. A third student from Reading, who was enrolled at Henley College in Oxfordshire, died earlier this week from the illness.
Officials have stated that all three young people were socially connected. In a statement, Henley College expressed its 'thoughts and sincere condolences are with the student's family and friends at this extremely difficult time.' The college added, 'We are supporting those affected within our college community and are following the advice and guidance given by the UK Health Security Agency. Out of respect for the family, we will not be providing further detail at this time.'
The University of Reading has reported no cases among its students so far but has urged vigilance.
Testing on one of the cases has revealed it is not the same strain of meningitis B previously seen in outbreaks this year in Kent and Dorset, but further test results are awaited.
Olivier Picard, chair of the National Pharmacy Association, commented: 'This is a tragic case and our thoughts are with the friends and family of those affected. Pharmacies in the area, including my own, have already seen a very significant increase in demand for vaccination against MenB from worried parents. Although pharmacies are now carrying more stock than when we saw the outbreak in Kent, this is having to be managed carefully and demand could well exceed what pharmacies currently have in supply.'
He urged the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) to 'urgently publish its recommendations for MenB vaccinations and whether this should be extended to teenagers and young adults, in light of these recent outbreaks.' He added, 'Concerned families should follow closely advice from the UK Health Security Agency who state the risk to the wider public remains low. Pharmacies stand ready to support public health efforts locally.'
The last outbreak, which occurred in March, left two young people dead and more than a dozen requiring hospital treatment. Those cases, which claimed the lives of sixth-form pupil Juliette Kenny, 18, and an unnamed University of Kent student, were linked to a nightclub in Canterbury. Health officials at the time described the cluster of infections as 'very unusual' and were investigating whether meningitis had become more transmissible.
