A young person has died and two others are being treated after a meningitis outbreak in Reading, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has confirmed.
In a statement issued on Thursday, UKHSA said its specialists were “working with local authority and NHS partners following three cases of meningococcal infection (meningitis) in young people in Reading”.
The statement continued: “Sadly, one of the individuals has died and our thoughts and condolences are with their friends and family. “The other two cases are receiving appropriate treatment. Close contacts of the cases are being offered antibiotics as a precaution.
“Information has been shared with students and parents at all affected schools about the signs and symptoms of meningitis. The risk to the wider public remains low. One case been confirmed as Meningitis B (MenB) and we are awaiting further testing results.”
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.
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“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.”
“Anyone can get meningitis, and around 300 to 400 cases of meningococcal disease are diagnosed in England every year. It’s most common in babies, young children, teenagers, and young adults. It needs to be treated quickly so it is important to know the signs and symptoms. They can appear in any order and may not all be present, so seek rapid medical attention if there is ever any concern.
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“Signs and symptoms of meningococcal meningitis and sepsis can include a fever, headache, rapid breathing, drowsiness, shivering, vomiting and cold hands and feet. Sepsis can also cause a characteristic rash that does not fade when pressed against a glass.”
Young people are encouraged to check their vaccinations are up to date, including the MenACWY jab, which is offered in school years 9 and 10 and continues to be free on the NHS until the age of 25, although it doesn’t guard against every strain, the agency highlighted. Other strains, such as MenB, can transmit between young adults. The UKHSA emphasised that everyone should be familiar with the signs and symptoms, regardless of whether they’ve been vaccinated.