A new report in The Lancet Neurology has revealed that 159 people in the UK died from meningitis in 2023, out of over 5,000 reported cases. The global figures are even more stark, with 259,000 deaths and 2.54 million cases worldwide, prompting health leaders to warn that the World Health Organisation's target to reduce bacterial meningitis by 2030 is likely to be missed.
The report comes as UK health officials grapple with a deadly outbreak of MenB in Kent, linked to a nightclub in Canterbury. The outbreak has claimed the lives of 18-year-old A-Level student Juliette Kenny and a University of Kent student. Twenty people have been confirmed ill, with two more cases under investigation. The bacteria is believed to have been spread through kissing or sharing drinks and vapes.
Dr Tom Nutt, chief executive of Meningitis Now, said: "These findings are a stark reminder that meningitis remains a devastating global disease. The recent outbreak in Kent shows how even the UK's world-leading vaccination programme has gaps that leave many people, especially teenagers and young adults, at risk."
Health Secretary Wes Streeting has instructed officials to consider a booster vaccine programme for young adults who missed the childhood MenB vaccination, which was only introduced on the NHS in 2015. The WHO target aims to reduce global incidence of vaccine-preventable bacterial meningitis by 50% and deaths by 70% by 2030, compared to 2015 levels. The report, led by researchers from the University of Washington, says progress is "insufficient" to meet this goal.
Dr Nutt added: "The evidence is clear – vaccines save lives. The data should act as a wake-up call. Governments, health systems and communities must work together to prioritise vaccination, improve early diagnosis and ensure rapid access to treatment."
