The UK Health Security Agency has identified two schools in Berkshire attended by pupils receiving treatment for meningitis, following an outbreak that has resulted in the death of a student. The affected schools are Reading Blue Coat school and Highdown secondary school and sixth form centre. Close contacts of the patients have been offered antibiotics as a precautionary measure.
Outbreak Details
On Thursday, the agency confirmed that a student from Henley college in Oxfordshire had died from the infection. Dr. Rachel Mearkle, a consultant in health protection, expressed condolences and emphasized that meningococcal meningitis requires very close contact to spread, and large outbreaks are rare. She stated, "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."
Previous Outbreak in Kent
This outbreak follows a major one in Kent in March, which killed two people and hospitalized over a dozen. The strain in Berkshire has been confirmed to be different from the one in Kent. In England, 300 to 400 cases of meningococcal disease are diagnosed annually, most commonly in babies, young children, teenagers, and young adults. Symptoms include fever, headache, rapid breathing, drowsiness, shivering, vomiting, and cold hands and feet.
School Response
Henley college, where the deceased student attended, released a statement offering condolences and confirming they are supporting those affected and following UK Health Security Agency guidance. They declined to provide further details out of respect for the family.
Vaccination Context
The MenB vaccine has been routinely offered to babies as part of the NHS childhood vaccination programme since 2015. Professor Andrew Preston from the University of Bath noted that this outbreak, like the one in Kent, has emerged in the college-age cohort. He added that all current cases appear contained to a well-defined social contact group, enabling rapid contact tracing and administration of antibiotics or vaccination if necessary. There is no indication of wider community transmission, though the situation has caused concern in the area.
