Meningitis cases linked to the ongoing UK outbreak have risen to 27, with the infection now confirmed in London as health authorities warn of continued spread.
The UK Health Security Agency said there are currently 15 confirmed cases and 12 under investigation, with infections now identified across two universities, four schools in Kent, and one institution in the capital. A case has been confirmed at Escape Studios in Greenwich, south-east London, where a student was reportedly hospitalised after contracting the disease.
The outbreak, declared a national incident, has already resulted in the deaths of two students, while a nine-month-old baby remains in intensive care. Officials say the strain involved is predominantly MenB, one of the most serious forms of the infection.
Health authorities emphasised that the disease spreads through “close and prolonged contact”, such as living in the same household, but warned that further cases are likely as investigations continue. Dr Anjan Ghosh, a public health official in Kent, said: “We’re not in the position yet to say that definitively, that it’s been contained.”
UK Health Secretary Wes Streeting visited the University of Kent, where hundreds of students have been queuing for vaccines and antibiotics, announcing that eligibility would be expanded and 20,000 doses released to address shortages.
He said: “I also want to reassure people, that in terms of the way in which this infection and disease spreads, it is through close personal contact. We’ve got effective treatment through the antibiotic, we’ve got effective vaccination, which is up and running. All of those things taken together mean that the risks, even for students here in Canterbury, are relatively low… this isn’t like Covid.”
The UKHSA has issued alerts to healthcare providers nationwide, urging doctors to maintain a “high index of suspicion” when assessing young patients aged 16 to 30 presenting with symptoms.
European health authorities are also monitoring the situation. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control said it is tracking developments through surveillance systems and has advised vigilance across the continent. The outbreak has been linked to a suspected “super-spreader event” at Club Chemistry in Canterbury earlier in March, with thousands believed to have attended.
UKHSA chief executive Susan Hopkins described the situation as unprecedented. He said “I can say that in my 35 years working in medicine… this is the most cases I’ve seen in a single weekend with this type of infection.”
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said his thoughts were with those affected, describing the situation as a “deeply difficult time”, as authorities continue efforts to contain the outbreak and prevent further spread.