UK meningitis outbreak worsens, chief medical adviser calls ‘unprecedented’ – National
A UK meningitis B outbreak that has killed a university and high school student in south-east England is “unprecedented”, Britain’s top medical adviser has said.
The number of confirmed cases of invasive meningitis in Canterbury has risen to 20, with the majority of infections among students at the University of Kent, where a program of vaccinations and antibiotics has begun.
A 21-year-old university student and a girl identified as Juliette, who attended Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School in Faversham, died from the disease.
Five schools in the region have confirmed cases of the disease, reports the BBC.
According to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) in Kent, as of 5pm on March 17, nine laboratory-confirmed cases had been reported and 11 are still being investigated.
Six of the confirmed cases are group B meningococcal disease.
The agency described the event as “rapidly occurring” and warned of the possibility of more cases.
Antibiotics are the most effective treatment for reducing the spread of this disease. So far, more than 2,500 doses have been given to students, close contacts and others, the agency added. About 5,000 students living in university residences will be given a vaccine that should help prevent the spread of the disease.
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Vaccination is expected to start on Wednesday.
Staff and students, some wearing face masks, wait to receive antibiotics at the University of Kent in Canterbury in the UK, after an outbreak of epilepsy left two people dead, on March 16, 2026.
Carl Court/Getty Images
Susan Hopkins, chief executive of the UKHSA, said the spread was “explosive” and “unprecedented” in nature. Deputy medical officer Dr. Thomas Waite said that this is the fastest growing disease that he has seen in his work, and described it as a “very important event in the country.”
Hopkins said the outbreak may have been sparked by a large event at a university gathering, possibly in the halls of residence or at a party, although he did not confirm where the virus started.
“I don’t know yet where the first infection came from, how it entered this group, and why it caused such a large number of infections. I can say that in my 35 years of working in medicine, health care and hospitals, these are the most cases I have seen in one weekend with this type of infection,” he said in many British stores.
A Canterbury nightclub called Chemistry has also been identified as a possible venue for the spreading event, according to the UKHSA.
GPs across the UK have been advised to give antibiotics to anyone who visited the club between March 5 and March 7 and to students at the University of Kent, it said.
The health center declared a national emergency on Sunday to help ensure the delivery of medical supplies, which is not a sign that the outbreak is spreading beyond Kent, but a tool to use resources.
The Chairman of the National Pharmacy Association, Olivier Picard, told BBC Radio 4’s Today that there was no stock of the vaccine to be bought privately and pharmacies, often used to bridge the gap between NHS donations and what people wanted, had run out. “There is no day of recovery,” he said.
Meningitis is an infection of the protective membranes of the brain and spinal cord and can be very serious if not treated quickly.
Early symptoms, which may not always be present, include:
- sudden onset of high fever
- rash that does not fade when pressed against the glass
- severe headache
- stiff neck
- vomiting and diarrhea
- joint and muscle pain
- dislike bright lights
- very cold hands and feet
- fainting
- confusion/depression
- drowsiness/difficulty waking up
Students are at great risk of missing the early signs of meningitis because they may be confused with other illnesses, such as a bad cold, flu or hangover. They are at risk of contracting meningitis because they mix with many other students, some of whom are unknowingly carrying bacteria behind their noses and throats, UKHSA warns.
Although rare, meningitis can be dangerous and may lead to septicemia (blood poisoning), which can quickly lead to sepsis. The onset of illness is often sudden, and early diagnosis and antibiotic treatment are important to prevent it from getting worse.
Meningitis vaccines in Canada are publicly funded and recommended for adults and children.
Mandatory school-going immunizations exist in some provinces, including Ontario, and high-risk populations can access other vaccines, according to the City of Toronto website.
The provincial government provides a free vaccine to children and students of certain ages to protect against several types of meningitis.
© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
