Last updated Thursday 26 March: this blog post concerns a developing outbreak and will be updated regularly.
There is currently an outbreak of meningococcal disease (MenB) in Kent. This blog post includes information on MenB and this outbreak: what to do, where you can get antibiotics if you are affected and who is being offered a vaccine.
What is meningococcal disease?
Meningococcal disease is a serious but uncommon illness caused by meningococcal bacteria. It can lead to meningitis - inflammation of the lining of the brain - and sepsis. The onset can be sudden, which is why knowing the signs and symptoms, and acting quickly, is so important. There are multiple strains of meningococcal bacteria - MenA, MenB, MenC, MenW, MenX, MenY.
What cases have we identified in the current outbreak?
The current outbreak in Kent has been linked to the MenB strain. The latest case numbers can be found here. Sadly, 2 people have died.
How is the disease spread?
Transmission of MenB requires close and prolonged contact to spread including living in the same household and intimate contact such as kissing or sharing drinks or vapes. The bacteria are not as contagious as other infections such as measles and COVID-19.
How do the bacteria enter the body?
The meningococcal bacteria that cause meningitis and blood poisoning can live harmlessly in the back of the nose or throat. When this happens, the person is called a ‘carrier’: they have the bacteria in their body but feel completely well.
Carrying the bacteria is more common among young people, particularly teenagers and university students. This is because they tend to spend a lot of time in close contact with new people (in halls of residence, for example) which makes it easier for bacteria to pass from person to person.
In most cases, carrying the bacteria causes no harm at all. Very occasionally, though, the bacteria can get past the body's natural defences in the nose and throat, enter the bloodstream, and cause serious illness such as meningitis or blood poisoning. This is most likely to happen soon after someone first picks up the bacteria.
Read our technical background on meningococcal bacteria.
What is different about this incident?
Around 300 to 400 cases of meningococcal disease are diagnosed in England every year. It is therefore reasonable to ask why this particular outbreak has attracted such attention. The answer lies in the way the disease has spread.
The rapid emergence of cases in this outbreak was genuinely unusual. Fifteen cases emerging within 48 hours is not something we see in a typical meningococcal outbreak: the vast majority of outbreaks managed by UKHSA involve 2 to 4 cases occurring over a longer timeframe. The transmission seen in this instance is likely to reflect some combination of factors, including close and prolonged contact among many young adults in the nightclub, behaviours that increase bacterial sharing, and characteristics of the outbreak strain, alongside variable immunity and other factors.
Our response reflects the pattern and pace of cases identified in this outbreak. Rapid public health action is precisely what prevents outbreaks from becoming larger.
Who is being offered antibiotics?
At the present time preventative antibiotics (also called prophylaxis) are being offered to:
- close contacts of those who are confirmed or suspected to have meningococcal disease.
- students at the University of Kent who are normally resident on the Canterbury Campus, including those who may have now travelled home. Some staff living or working in these Halls of Residence have also been offered preventative antibiotics and are eligible for vaccination.
- students who attend other universities in Canterbury, living in halls of residence or off-campus locations where there has been a case, and have been advised to take an antibiotic due to a close contact by UKHSA.
- sixth form students (years 12 and 13) attending a secondary school or sixth form college in Kent where there has been a confirmed or probable case of meningococcal disease informed by local risk assessment.
- anyone who visited or was working at Club Chemistry in Canterbury between 5 March and 15 March, when the venue closed voluntarily.
If you have been offered preventative antibiotics, it is strongly recommended that you take them promptly. There are sufficient antibiotic stocks at the university, in local hospitals, and with the ambulance service.
If you are eligible but have already left the area, you can receive the vaccine at your local GP practice.
Keep up with the latest information about where to get antibiotics .
Why are antibiotics being used in the outbreak?
A single course of antibiotics is highly effective in preventing the contraction and spread of this disease in 90% of cases.
Antibiotics play a crucial role in the response to this outbreak in 2 ways:
1. they help to limit further spread.
2. they treat people who have already become ill.
Antibiotics are not being offered to all students at this stage. The outbreak response is focused on close contacts and those who have attended settings assessed as high risk. Advice on antibiotics has been issued to staff and students at the University of Kent, and antibiotics are available at a number of distribution sites on campus.
Who is being offered the MenB vaccine?
A targeted vaccination programme has been introduced in direct response to this outbreak. Vaccination began with students living in Canterbury campus halls of residence at the University of Kent and as of Friday 20 March, vaccination has been extended to everyone who has been offered preventative antibiotic treatment as part of this outbreak.
Find out more about the MenB vaccine and where to get it.
What is the risk to the wider public?
The risk of infection to the wider population remains low but we are actively looking for contacts of people who have MenB (contact tracing) and offering preventative antibiotics to those in close contact with cases.
I am not in the group eligible for the vaccine - what should I do?
If you are not currently being offered the vaccine, you should not be concerned: the risk to the wider public remains low. The MenB bacterium is not as contagious as infections such as measles or COVID-19, and transmission requires close and prolonged contact - such as living in the same household or intimate contact like kissing.
Meningitis has many causes. If you are not eligible for the MenB vaccine, you should still make sure you are up to date with the MMR and MenACWY vaccines, which help protect against future outbreaks of meningitis.
The MenACWY vaccine is offered in school, usually in Year 9. If you have missed it in school, you can get a free catch-up vaccine from your GP surgery.
Are the majority of cases still in Kent? Have they spread nationally or internationally?
All of the cases identified to date are connected with Kent and there is no evidence currently that this outbreak has spread further. Individual meningitis cases are not uncommon, but an outbreak of this size is unusual and this is why additional measures are being taken to prevent the spread.
What can I do to protect myself and my children from meningitis if I am not in the locality affected by the outbreak?
The most important thing you can do is know the symptoms and act quickly if they appear.
Symptoms to look out for include:
- a rash that does not fade when pressed with a glass
- sudden onset of high fever
- severe and worsening headache
- stiff neck
- vomiting and diarrhoea
- joint and muscle pain
- dislike of bright lights
- very cold hands and feet
- seizures
- confusion or delirium
- extreme sleepiness or difficulty waking
If you or someone you know develops these symptoms, seek medical help urgently by going to your nearest A&E or calling 999. If a friend goes to bed unwell, check on them regularly. Early treatment can be lifesaving.
You can also contact your GP or call NHS 111 if you are concerned, but do not wait - call 999 in an emergency.
Why don't you offer a MenB vaccine to teenagers and young adults?
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) makes decisions on vaccination programmes following careful consideration of independent expert advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). The JCVI does not currently recommend a routine MenB booster vaccination for adolescents and young adults. The JCVI routinely reviews new evidence as it emerges and UKHSA will be advising that the JCVI considers this most recent outbreak to confirm their latest advice. UKHSA will provide further advice on other cohorts in due course.
Where can I find further support?
Meningitis Research Foundation
UK: 0808 800 3344
Republic of Ireland: 1800 41 33 44 (9am to 5pm Monday to Friday)
Meningitis Now
0808 801 0388 (9am to 4pm Monday to Thursday and 9am to 1pm Friday)
UKHSA is updating case numbers daily at 9.30am. We will continue to share information as it becomes available.