What is Meningitis and How to Stay Safe from it as UK Health Cases Trigger National Incident

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is now treating the meningitis outbreak at the University of Kent as a national incident after deaths were recorded, with the number of cases expected to rise.

The agency is calling it an 'unprecedented' and 'explosive' outbreak as the disease spreads through the university. Thousands of students are being urged to get vaccinated against meningitis and take antibiotics. But what exactly is meningitis, and what measures can be taken to stay safe from this potentially deadly disease?

Meningitis Outbreak at University of Kent

A meningitis outbreak was reported at the University of Kent on 15 March, prompting health officials to issue a high alert. The university confirmed on 16 March that one student had died.

According to Sky News, 15 cases have been reported to the UKHSA, all requiring hospital admission. The UK health agency warned that cases are expected to rise, as the incubation period from infection to when symptoms appear ranges from two to fourteen days. Experts said that many of the infected attended Club Chemistry in Canterbury between 5 and 7 March.

Susan Hopkins, UKHSA chief executive, said the outbreak appears to be a 'super-spreader' event, with continued transmission occurring in university halls of residence. 'There will have been some parties particularly around this, so there will have been lots of social mixing,' she said.

Hopkins added that she 'can't yet say where the initial infection came from, how it's got into this cohort, and why it's created such an explosive amount of infections.' She noted that in her 35 years of working in healthcare, the University of Kent outbreak 'is the most cases I've seen in a single weekend with this type of infection. It's the explosive nature that is unprecedented here — the number of cases in such a short space of time.'

She confirmed that the National Health Service (NHS) initially managed the outbreak 'as a major incident in the region but they have now increased that overlay to having a national-level oversight as well.'

Reports said that around 5,000 students will be offered the meningitis B (menB) vaccine in the coming days. Four schools across the county have also confirmed cases, with hundreds of people being offered antibiotics.

'Quickest-Growing Outbreak'

Dr Thomas Waite, England's deputy chief medical officer, described the meningitis outbreak as 'by far the quickest-growing outbreak I've ever seen in my career, and I think probably any of us have seen of meningitis for a very long time.'

He added, 'Whilst it remains an outbreak that is having its consequences in Kent, it is obviously of national significance.' Out of the 15 cases, four were confirmed to have the mutant strain of menB.

Meanwhile, Health Secretary Wes Streeting said, 'This is an unprecedented outbreak. It is also a rapidly developing situation.' The health secretary also said that the menB vaccine has been available on the NHS since 2015 as part of routine childhood immunisations, 'but clearly most students would not be vaccinated.'

Streeting added that 11,000 doses of antibiotics have been made available onsite across four centres in Canterbury. 'The onset of illness is often sudden, and early diagnosis and treatment with antibiotics are vital,' he said.

What is Meningitis?

Meningitis is the inflammation of the protective membranes (meninges) surrounding the brain and spinal cord. It is most often caused by a bacterial or viral infection.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, when a person's meninges become inflamed, they swell excessively and put pressure on the brain and spinal cord. Infectious agents such as viruses and bacteria are common causes. Noninfectious conditions, like cancer and head injuries, can also trigger meningitis.

Bacterial meningitis is the 'red alert' type of the disease, which can be life-threatening and requires immediate antibiotics. Viral meningitis is more common and usually less severe, but it can leave patients feeling extremely unwell for an extended period.

Symptoms may include fever, stiff neck, headache, nausea or vomiting, sensitivity to light, confusion or altered mental status, lack of energy, extreme sleepiness or trouble waking up, and lack of appetite.

Meningitis can be passed through person-to-person contact, contaminated food, or environmental fungi inhaled into the lungs. In some cases, it is also a result of noninfectious conditions like cancer, lupus, head injury, or complications from a brain surgery.

How to Stay Safe from Meningitis?

The best protection from meningitis is vaccination against the bacterial and viral infections that can cause the disease.

Frequent handwashing with soap and water is also recommended, along with avoiding close contact with people who are unwell.

Additional precautions include covering your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing, regularly disinfecting frequently touched surfaces, and ensuring drinking and swimming water is clean. It is also advisable to avoid unpasteurised milk and dairy products.