Two people have lost their lives following an outbreak of meningitis, including one student at the University of Kent.
According to the BBC, a further 11 people from the Canterbury area are currently in hospital and reported to be seriously ill. It is understood that most are aged between 18 and 21 and a number are students at the university.
More than 30,000 students, staff and their families are being contacted by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) to inform them of the situation.
Meningitis is an infection of the protective membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord and can be serious if not treated urgently.
A UKHSA spokesperson said it was arranging antibiotics for some students in the Canterbury area following the outbreak, and that the specific strain of the disease has not been identified.
A letter from the UKHSA to University of Kent students and staff, said people living and working in certain blocks in the campus should receive antibiotics “without delay”.
In a statement, the university said: “The safety of our students and staff remains our highest priority.
“We are working closely with public health teams and are in touch with staff and students to ensure they get the advice and support they need.”
Specialists at the UKHSA are interviewing those affected to identify close contacts, a spokesperson said.
According to the NHS: Symptoms of meningitis and sepsis include:
fits (seizures), a high temperature, cold hands and feet, vomiting, confusion, breathing quickly, muscle and joint pain, pale, mottled or blotchy skin (this may be harder to see on brown or black skin), spots or a rash (this may be harder to see on brown or black skin), headache, a stiff neck, a dislike of bright lights, being very sleepy or difficult to wake.
‘Stay vigilant’
Anyone can be infected with Meningitis but is most common in babies, young children, teenagers and young adults.
Dr Tom Nutt, chief executive of Meningitis Now, said: “Meningitis can progress very quickly and its impact is devastating, particularly for young people and their loved ones.
“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.
“We urge students, staff and families to remain vigilant for the signs and symptoms of meningitis.”
There are numerous strains of the meningococcal infection.
Canterbury MP Rosie Duffield said in a statement on X that the deaths were “really tragic” and she was “thinking very much” of those close to them.
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