UK Reports ‘Unprecedented’ Outbreak of Inflammatory Disease, 2 Dead

Twenty cases of meningococcal disease have been confirmed or are suspected in an outbreak in Kent, England, and two people have died, the UK Health Security Agency said on March 18.

Meningococcal disease, or meningitis and septicaemia, is an uncommon disease caused by bacteria that can, in certain cases, cause severe illness such as swelling of the brain lining or bloodstream infection.

“This is an unprecedented outbreak. It is also a rapidly developing situation,” UK Secretary of State for Health Wes Streeting told lawmakers on Tuesday.

Officials have been following protocols for responding to outbreaks, including identifying patients’ close contacts.

Early signs and symptoms of meningococcal disease include fever, headache, and vomiting. Antibiotics are the preferred treatment and can also serve as a prophylactic.

UKHSA Chief Executive Susan Hopkins said there was an “explosive nature” to the outbreak.

“It’s the explosive nature that is unprecedented here. The number of cases in such a short space of time,” she said, according to the BBC.

She said she was unable to confirm the source of the initial infection.

Authorities have been offering antibiotics to hundreds of University of Kent students, people who came into contact with confirmed cases, and others who were at a nightclub called Club Chemistry in Canterbury on March 5, March 6, or March 7, according to the UK Health Security Agency.

Every case so far has occurred among young adults, the UK Health Security Agency said. A baby has also been diagnosed with meningococcal disease, but that case is not linked to the outbreak, at least at this time.

The strain associated with the outbreak, group B meningococcal bacteria, is a serious and potentially lethal variant, Streeting said.

“It doesn’t spread very easily. The bacteria is passed to others after a long period of close contact. For example, living with someone in shared accommodation through prolonged kissing or sharing vapes and drinks,” he said. “However, the symptoms are also easily mistaken for other common conditions, even for something like a hangover.”

Since 2015, UK authorities have recommended meningococcal B vaccines routinely for children. Most of the students at the University of Kent are unvaccinated, according to health officials. They are starting a targeted vaccination program for 5,000 students living on campus, and are evaluating whether to launch a broader campaign for the vaccines.

‘We recognise that this is a very sad and worrying time for our community and we are doing everything we can to offer advice and support,” the University of Kent said in a statement. “This is a regional public health matter and not specific to the University. The response is being led by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and we are working with them and partners as the situation unfolds.”

The university said it has canceled in-person assessments and exams as a precaution through the end of the week.