A student has died and two other young people are receiving treatment following a meningitis outbreak in Reading, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has confirmed.
One of the cases has been identified as meningitis B, the same strain linked to a cluster of fatal incidents in Kent earlier this year.
Close contacts of those affected are being offered antibiotics as a precautionary measure, with the agency reassuring the public that the overall risk currently remains low.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the UKHSA said that its specialists were “working with local authority and NHS partners following three cases of meningococcal infection (meningitis) in young people in Reading”.
Dr Rachel Mearkle, consultant in health protection, said: “We understand that many people will be affected by this sad news and would like to offer our condolences to the friends and family of this student.
“Students and staff will naturally be feeling worried about the likelihood of further cases, however meningococcal meningitis requires very close contact to spread and large outbreaks as we saw in Kent recently are thankfully rare.
“We are working closely with partners and have provided public health advice and precautionary antibiotic treatment to close contacts of the cases.
“Meningococcal disease does not spread easily and the risk to the wider public remains low.”
The person who died was a student at Henley College in Oxfordshire, a GP surgery has said.
In a statement, the Hart Surgery in Henley-on-Thames said: “Dear patients. We have been in contact with the UK Health Security Agency this morning (14th May) regarding the very sad news that a student at Henley College has died with suspected meningococcal disease.
“They have confirmed that they are actively contacting those who may be at risk due to a close association with the student involved.
“If you have not been contacted by the UK Health Security Agency, then currently you do not require any treatment. Staff and students have been advised they can attend the college as usual.
“The number of confirmed cases is very low so there are currently no plans for a local emergency meningitis vaccination programme.”
More to follow…
