Meningitis Outbreak: What You Need To Know

The decease of a twelvemonth 13 pupil astatine Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School successful Faversham was confirmed by nan section MP connected Monday. The 2nd personification who died was a student astatine nan University of Kent.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said it was notified of 13 cases pinch signs and symptoms of meningitis and septicaemia from Friday to Sunday successful nan Canterbury area.

Health experts are arranging antibiotics for immoderate different students successful nan area arsenic a precaution against nan vulnerable infection.

What is meningitis and 'invasive' meningitis?

Meningitis is an infection of nan protective membranes that situation nan encephalon and spinal cord.

It tin impact anyone but is astir communal successful babies, young children, teenagers and young adults. It tin beryllium very superior if not treated quickly.

The origin of nan infection - either a definite germs aliases microorganism - tin beryllium wished by tests.

Bacterial meningitis is rarer but much superior than viral meningitis. It tin lead to humor poisoning aliases sepsis, and tin impact nan brain.

This acute, terrible infection is known arsenic invasive meningitis. It intends nan infection has invaded into nan humor watercourse aliases encephalon linings.

Both group who person died successful nan invasive meningitis outbreak successful Kent are believed to beryllium aged betwixt 18 and 21.

The circumstantial strain of meningitis has not yet been identified.

What meningitis signs should you look retired for?

Symptoms tin create abruptly and tin include:

Some group tin transportation germs successful their chemoreceptor without getting sick, but tin dispersed it to others done coughs and sneezes.

The infection tin besides beryllium dispersed by personification pinch meningitis, though this is little common.

It's imaginable to get meningitis much than once.

The BBC understands nan outbreak successful Kent is thought to beryllium linked to a societal arena successful Canterbury, which immoderate of those who fell sick attended.

Outbreaks of meningococcal illness are rare, but tin hap successful settings wherever group group together, specified arsenic assemblage campuses.

The champion measurement to extremity nan illness spreading is by giving antibiotics to group who whitethorn person travel into interaction pinch nan illness erstwhile location is simply a section outbreak.

Some students successful nan Canterbury area of Kent are being fixed this curen arsenic a precaution aft a number of cases of invasive meningococcal disease, moreover though nan circumstantial strain has not been identified.

Several vaccinations thief protect against meningitis.

The MenACWY vaccine offers protection against 4 types of germs that tin origin meningitis - meningococcal groups A, C, W and Y - and is offered to teenagers aged 14 years old.

The MenB vaccine helps protect against meningococcal group B germs and is recommended for babies aged 8 weeks, followed by a 2nd dose astatine 12 weeks and a booster astatine 1 year.

A six-in-one vaccine fixed to young children - besides known arsenic nan DTaP/IPV/Hib/Hep B vaccine - offers protection against diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, hepatitis B, polio and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib).

A pneumococcal vaccine offers protection against superior infections caused by pneumococcal bacteria, including meningitis.

The MMR vaccine offers protection against measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox. Meningitis tin sometimes hap arsenic a complication of immoderate of these infections.

What to do if you deliberation you aliases a friend has meningitis

Anyone becoming unwell pinch symptoms of meningitis and septicaemia should activity aesculapian thief urgently astatine nan closest Accident and Emergency Department aliases by dialling 999.

Early curen tin beryllium lifesaving.

Students successful nan affected area of Canterbury are being advised to spot their instincts - do not hold for each symptoms to look aliases for a rash to create earlier seeking help.

"Students are peculiarly astatine consequence of missing nan early informing signs of meningitis because they tin beryllium easy confused pinch different illnesses specified arsenic a bad cold, flu aliases moreover a hangover," pass wellness officials.

Students should cheque connected their friends regularly if they spell to furniture unwell and urged them not to hesitate earlier seeking aesculapian thief via their GP aliases nan 111 service.