Two dead, 11 hospitalised in UK university meningitis outbreak

Two dead, 11 hospitalised in UK university meningitis outbreak

Two people have died in a meningitis outbreak in the UK while another 11 people are in hospital.

A student at the University of Kent in south-east England is one of the two who have died, according to the BBC.

Another 11 people from the Canterbury area are in hospital seriously ill, including more students aged 18 to 21, it reports.

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More than 30,000 students, staff and their families are being contacted by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) over the outbreak.

It said it had provided antibiotics for invasive meningococcal disease, a combination of meningitis and septicaemia, reports The Guardian.

It issued a warning to other students.

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Trish Mannes, UKHSA south-east deputy director, told the paper: "We understand that many people at the university and in the wider community will be affected by this sad news and we would like to offer our condolences to the friends and family involved.

"Meningococcal disease can progress rapidly, so it's essential that students and staff are alert to the signs and symptoms of meningococcal meningitis and septicaemia."

"Students are particularly at risk of missing the early warning signs of meningitis because they can be easily confused with other illnesses such as a bad cold, flu or even a hangover."

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The university said it was "deeply saddened" by the students death.

Symptoms of meningococcal include:

  • Severe, unexplained limb pain
  • Difficulty waking up
  • High-pitched crying in babies
  • A severe headache
  • Being upset by bright lights
  • A stiff neck
  • A red-purple rash which doesn't disappear when pressed with a glass