The number of young people suffering from suspected acute meningitis in the south of England continues to rise. According to the latest data released by the UK Health Security Agency, the reported cases have risen to 27, of which 15 are confirmed and 12 are still under investigation. Unfortunately, the death toll remains two: a 21-year-old boy and an 18-year-old girl.
Health authorities do not rule out that the epidemic is not yet under control. A new hospitalization has been recorded in a London hospital, involving a person from the county of Kent, the epicenter of the infection.
How the bacterium spread
The cause of the epidemic was identified as meningococcus B (MenB). According to what has been reconstructed, a nightclub in Canterbury, the “Club Chemistry”, is the place where the bacterium circulated among the patrons, who later turned out to be ill. Prime Minister Keir Starmer urged anyone who visited the venue on March 5, 6 and 7 to contact the authorities to receive antibiotics as a precaution.
A related case has also been reported in France, involving a student at the University of Kent.
The response of the institutions
Health Minister Wes Streeting defined the situation as “unprecedented” in the House of Commons, specifying however that management remains coordinated at a national level without being classified as an emergency. Around 2,500 doses of preventive antibiotics have already been distributed and a targeted vaccination campaign has started for around 5,000 students in the area.
The most exposed segment of the population is that of young people born after 2015, the year in which vaccination against MenB was introduced in the United Kingdom for newborns and young children: those who grew up before then did not receive coverage.
The voice of patients
Some testimonies from those who have contracted the disease are emerging publicly. A 21-year-old student, Annabelle Mackay, said she had temporarily lost her sight and still had difficulty walking.
The race for vaccines
Meera Chand, director of strategic response, said:
The latest laboratory analyzes conducted by the UKHSA they confirm that the vaccine offered to students and other eligible groups should cover this circulating strain of MenB, and further analyzes are underway to better understand its characteristics.
It is vital that people are aware of the signs and symptoms of invasive meningococcal disease and that they seek immediate medical attention if they or someone they know develops symptoms. The risk to the general population remains low and the UKHSA continues to work with partners to identify contacts and provide needed care.
The risk for Europe
The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) assessed the risk to the population of the European Union as very low, stressing that bacterial meningitis does not spread in the community as easily as a respiratory virus. However, the agency recommends paying attention to any cases imported by travelers returning from the Kent region, and calls on national health systems to maintain active surveillance.
