Authorities in the UK are investigating 27 cases connected to a fatal meningitis outbreak, which is suspected to have originated in a nightclub in southeast England.
Here is a detailed overview of the disease and the current situation:
What is meningitis?
Meningitis is a serious infection that leads to the inflammation of the brain or spinal cord’s protective membranes and can result in sepsis. The bacterial form of meningitis, which is involved in this outbreak, is less common but more lethal than its viral counterpart.
Early symptoms include headache, fever, drowsiness, and a stiff neck, which can complicate timely diagnosis due to their similarity to other illnesses. A rash may also appear as the disease progresses rapidly.
“It is certainly not as infective as, say, flu or COVID-19, and requires often fairly prolonged close contact before transmission takes place,” said Andrew Lee, Professor of Public Health at the University of Sheffield.
The disease spreads through close contact, such as kissing or sharing vapes or drinks. According to the Meningitis Research Foundation’s tracker, over two million people are affected by meningitis globally each year, with 80 percent of these cases occurring in developing countries. In the West, outbreaks are particularly common among university students.
Where does the infection come from?
Meningococcal disease, a rare but serious illness caused by meningococcal bacteria, can lead to meningitis. It is generally spread by people who carry the bacteria in their throat or nose but do not show symptoms.
“Between 10-24 percent of the population unknowingly carry this germ at the back of their throats usually without any harm,” Lee noted. There are various strains of the bacteria, and in this outbreak, at least nine confirmed cases involve group B meningococcal disease (MenB), the most prevalent strain in the UK.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting indicated that Club Chemistry in Canterbury is believed to be the outbreak’s epicenter, with at least 10 confirmed cases having visited the nightclub between March 5-7.
How big is the outbreak?
Streeting has described the situation as “unprecedented.” As of Thursday, 27 cases were under investigation, with 15 confirmed. The number of cases has surged rapidly, with the first case reported on Friday, March 13. Two deaths have also been recorded.
“The risk of transmission and further cases is usually highest in the first week after contact with a case, and the probability rapidly decreases afterwards,” Lee explained. Many of those affected are University of Kent students, and cases have also been reported in four Kent schools and a London higher education institute. The local authority could not confirm whether the outbreak was contained as of Thursday.
Why is it unprecedented?
Experts highlight the unusual speed and spread of the outbreak. Meningitis in the UK typically occurs in smaller clusters.
“In my 35 years working in medicine, in healthcare and hospitals, this is the most cases I’ve seen in a single weekend with this type of infection,” stated Susan Hopkins, head of the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). Hopkins described the situation as resembling a “superspreader event,” with ongoing transmission in university residences. The UKHSA was alerted to the initial case on March 13 and began contact tracing shortly after. On March 14, French authorities informed the UK of a case involving a person who had been at the university and was hospitalized in France. Patient samples are being analyzed in labs to better understand the strain and its aggressive nature.
What has the official response been?
Health officials are urgently working to identify and trace close contacts of those infected, establishing several health clinics in Canterbury to distribute antibiotics. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer urged anyone who was at the nightclub during the outbreak weekend to seek antibiotics to curb the spread. For the wider UK public, “the overall risk remains very low,” according to Zina Alfahl from the University of Galway’s School of Medicine. Bacterial meningitis typically requires hospital treatment.
Related: Meningitis Outbreak Exposes UK’s Decade-Long Gap in Protection
Vaccines can prevent meningitis, and the University of Kent has initiated a targeted vaccination program to administer 5,000 doses to students on campus. While vaccines for certain meningitis strains are routinely given to children in the UK, the MenB vaccine has only been part of the immunization schedule since 2015, when the UK became the first country to implement it. Despite the rush to buy vaccines amid the outbreak, health minister Streeting stated it was “not necessary”.
© Agence France-Presse
