Two young people have died in the United Kingdom following an outbreak of invasive meningococcal disease in southern England, with health officials confirming 11 additional cases.
The outbreak has been linked to student populations in the city of Canterbury, according to a statement issued by the UK Health Security Agency on Monday.
One of the victims was a high school student at Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School.
“We are all absolutely devastated,” Headteacher Amelia McIlroy said in a statement sent to CNN on Monday.
In a separate statement published online on Sunday, the University of Kent confirmed that one of its students also died during the outbreak, saying the institution was “deeply saddened.”
UKHSA said it is collaborating with the university to guide staff and students while tracing close contacts of those infected and administering antibiotics to help prevent further spread of the disease.
Invasive meningococcal disease is caused by meningococcal bacteria. The infection can lead to meningitis, an inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord, as well as septicemia, a dangerous form of blood poisoning.
Health experts warn that the disease can become life-threatening if it is not detected and treated quickly.
“Meningococcal disease can progress rapidly, so it’s essential that students and staff are alert to the signs and symptoms of meningococcal meningitis and septicaemia, which can include a fever, headache, rapid breathing, drowsiness, shivering, vomiting and cold hands and feet,” Trish Mannes, UKHSA Regional Deputy Director for the South East, said in the statement.
“Septicaemia can also cause a characteristic rash that does not fade when pressed against a glass,” she added.
“Students are particularly at risk of missing the early warning signs of meningitis because they can be easily confused with other illnesses such as a bad cold, flu or even a hangover,” Mannes said.
Students are considered particularly vulnerable to meningitis because they interact closely with large numbers of people, some of whom may carry meningococcal bacteria without showing symptoms.
“University students and young adults are among the groups at increased risk because meningitis bacteria can spread more easily in settings where people live, study and socialise closely together,” said Dr Tom Nutt, chief executive of the Meningitis Now charity, in a statement published Sunday.
Although young people in the UK are offered vaccines that protect against certain strains of meningitis, Nutt noted that since 2015 only infants have routinely received the MenB vaccine, one of the most common causes of meningitis among teenagers and young adults.
“We believe all teenagers and young adults should be protected by this vaccine,” he added in the statement. It has not yet been confirmed which strain of the disease is responsible for the Kent outbreak.
Paul Hunter said that while some countries offer a MenB booster vaccine to adolescents, cost-benefit studies led UK authorities to decide against introducing it more widely.
Hunter stressed that anyone who suspects a meningitis infection should seek medical help immediately.
“Early treatment is vital, but diagnosis in the early hours of the illness can be very difficult,” he said in a statement sent to CNN by the Science Media Centre.
“Early symptoms can be very mild but then deterioration can be extremely rapid leading to death within a few hours,” Hunter added.
