We have seen an outbreak of meningitis B cases recently in the United Kingdom, with two individuals sadly passing away as a result of the illness. These are an unnamed student at the University of Kent, and a sixth-former by the name of Juliette, who had attended Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School in Haversham.
It has been confirmed that there are now over 20 cases of meningitis (MenB), including a 9 month-old baby in hospital, and that the illness has spread to London and even France.
What is meningitis?
According to the NHS website, “Meningitis is an infection of the protective membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord.”
The symptoms are as follows:
- A high temperature.
- Headaches.
- Vomiting.
- Seizures.
- A rash that does not fade when a glass is rolled over it (but a rash will not always develop).
- Stiff neck.
- Sensitivity to bright lights.
- Cold hands and feet.
According to BBC News, it is spread by little droplets that have been coughed or sneezed into the air that have been breathed in. However, you can also get it from sharing a drink, kissing someone, or sharing a vape with somebody.
Many people may have it and not know it, due to not presenting with the symptoms above, and not being unwell. Sometimes, the symptoms look similar to a cold, flu, or a hangover. If you are ill, keep an eye on your symptoms and if you present with any of the above, do not hesitate to seek emergency treatment.
It could save your life.
This is because, if not treated, meningitis can lead to septicemia, which then leads to sepsis (blood poisoning), which is deadly. In fact, in the UK, it is estimated that up to one in ten of bacterial meningitis are fatal.
Even if it does not kill you, meningitis can be very physically disabling. It is not worth the risk, regardless. According to WHO, one in five people have long lasting impacts afterwards, including hearing loss, seizures, limb weakness, and difficulties with vision, speech, memory, and communication. Then, for sepsis, it carries risk of limb amputation.
According to The Guardian, “treatment for meningitis includes antibiotics, intravenous fluids, oxygen if there are breathing difficulties, and in some cases steroid medication to prevent swelling around the brain.”
Antibiotics and vaccinations may save lives.
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What is happening at the University of Kent?
One student at the university, a fourth year student by the name of Izzy Kenny, told the BBC that, “everyone’s just feeling a lot of anxiety at the moment.” This is completely understandable, given that bacterial meningitis kills 10-15% of sufferers, even with prompt treatment, and approximately 20% of sufferers end up becoming permanently disabled, according to the Meningitis Research Foundation.
A student called Mariam told Sky News: “I remember when I found out Sunday night everyone was…surprised,” she told them. She mentioned that several people texted her to ask if she was okay. “It’s a bit dreary, a bit gloomy, it’s a bit scary as well…It’s been quite a tragic situation, two people have died,” she added.
A third-year student, Mohammed Olayinka, told the BBC that the campus is, “a bit of a ghost town, isn’t it? It’s been mixed, have people saying best off to stay here, people that panicked and left. I really can’t blame them. (There’s) an air of uncertainty to go out.”
Sky News have reported that a university official has said the following: “Today, the University – in partnership with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) – are rolling out the first targeted MenB vaccination programme to all students living on our Canterbury campus. Alongside this, we will continue to offer precautionary antibiotics to staff and students that might be affected.
This is part of our ongoing commitment to offer a swift response and reassurance to support Kent students at this difficult time.”
Approximately 8,400 doses of antibiotics have been given out as a precautionary measure, according to the BBC.
What is the government doing?
Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, has described it as a “rapidly developing situation” and referred to the outbreak as “unprecedented”.
He has added that, “people can and should still go to school and college”, that the risk to the general public was “low,” and that people do not need to buy the jab privately. He has also insisted that there is “plenty of stock.”
This comes at a time where there is a shortage of meningitis vaccines available. Those who were born before 2015 will not have been vaccinated against meningitis as a baby, and so may not be vaccinated against the disease. The jab costs £220, which may be prohibitive for some people – and, even then, many private clinics are facing the same shortages.
Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, has urged Kent club-goers to ‘come forward’ for treatment.
Reform and vaccines
Reform UK, the UK’s most popular political party at the moment, given their current poll lead, are often sceptical of vaccines. In September 2025, the Reform Kent Council Leader, Linden Kemkaran, showed scepticism towards the COVID-19 vaccine during an interview with Radio Times.
When asked if she thought that the Reform Party should open up an inquiry regarding a link between COVID vaccines and cancer, her response was: “I think it’s something we should talk about. Definitely.”
She also claimed the government ‘pushed’ the vaccines on children, and talked about how adults were allegedly ‘tricked’ into having their children vaccinated. At current, she is still the council leader of Kent, and given that she has been criticised for not disavowing, and perhaps even going as far agreeing with anti-vaxx perspectives, this could have wider implications in Kent (such as people choosing not to vaccinate themselves or their children), where the situation is still rapidly unfolding.
Some people online are blaming immigrants and immigration for the spread of the disease. One blamed Labour and the Conservative Party, implying that the outbreak was due to immigrants coming in on boats: “if they werent allowed in on f***ing boats it wouldnt be here”.
Another user, sarcastically, replied to them, pointing out where the outbreak had happened: “Why did Labour and the Tories let in British students to the University of Kent? Weird question”. Another pointed out that meningitis B is a bacterium, not a virus,
According to Maiden Lab, which has ties with the University of Oxford: Neisseria meningitidis, also known as meningococcus, is a Gram-negative diplococcus bacterium. It was first identified in 1887 by Weichselbaum, although outbreaks of possible meningococcal meningitis had been reported since 1805 in Europe.
The first cases in Africa appeared in the 20th century, while the British Empire was still in effect, suggesting that (if anything), Brits and perhaps other European colonisers spread the disease to the continent, and not vice versa.
Such rhetoric by a prominent leader can cause concern, as there was already a great distrust of vaccines post-COVID, largely, in part, for political reasons. Statements made by non-scientist officials about the supposed danger of vaccines could influence the people in their constituency, who are already afraid and distrustful, particularly after criticisms of how the previous government handled the COVID pandemic.
Although Reform and Kemkaran have not made any statements against the safety of the meningitis B vaccine, such posts made by the public show how important it is for politicians to rely on data, science, and research, instead of speculation.
What are other officials saying?
The deputy chief medical officer, Dr Thomas Waite, stated that it was the quickest growing outbreak he had seen in his career.
The chief officer of the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), Susan Hopkins, has not yet been able to confirm where the initial infection came from, although she said it looked as though there had been a super spreader event amongst university students. She also alluded to its “explosive” nature and that, in her 35 years in medicine, it was the most cases she had seen in a single weekend with this type of infection.
The UKHSA declared a national incident on Sunday, which is allegedly to preserve antibiotic stock, according to the BBC’S Health Correspondent, Nick Triggle. A top pharmacist, Dr Leyla Hannbeck, has called on the NHS to implement a national vaccination programme.
She said: “The NHS must urgently launch a nationally coordinated vaccination programme, delivered through community pharmacies, to ensure teenagers and young people across the country can access Meningitis B vaccines quickly and easily.
We are already seeing demand rise rapidly. Many pharmacies, particularly those in the south, are getting requests every minute from worried parents asking for the meningitis vaccination.
“The majority of pharmacies have run out of stock and cannot order any in from the suppliers. This underlines why a localised response is not sufficient and risks creating a postcode lottery in access to protection.
We are asking JCVI to approve a nationwide pharmacy-led rollout to reach teenagers and young adults at pace, protect vulnerable groups, and prevent further spread. The government must act now to deliver this without delay.”
Should we be concerned?
For many, phrases such as ‘unprecedented times’ are eerily reminiscent of the early days of COVID-19, and some have even remarked online about this being the same time of year that the COVID-19 infection began to spread in the UK.
Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, has pointed out that cases are likely to rise. That said, he has insisted on not having a “knee-jerk” reaction to rolling out jabs nationally. He explained that cases are likely to rise again due to the 2-14 day incubation period which accompanies the disease.
According to Tom Clarke, writing for Sky News, the disease is ‘thankfully rare’ but a ‘cruel reminder,’ about the impact on young people. He goes on to add:
“There’s been less and less disease thanks to the effectiveness of vaccines, which are now available on the NHS,” said Dr Tom Nutt, chief executive of charity Meningitis Now. “So, to get a big cluster like this in Canterbury, I think, is pretty shocking and pretty unusual.
Babies, children and young adults are most at risk, and the bacterial infection…has more chance to spread through the social scene and shared accommodation of colleges and universities.’
Although the public risk may be considered “low” by the Health Secretary, taking the following precautionary measures is recommended:
- Wearing respirators.
- Taking antibiotics as a precaution when sick.
- Checking up on loved ones, especially those who are immunocompromised, young or ill.
- Being aware of the symptoms.
- Being vigilant.
- Masking.
- Potentially avoiding human interaction.
- Getting the vaccination.
At the very least, taking antibiotics, getting the vaccine, masking in public, checking up on loved ones, and being vigilant and aware of the symptoms is a good place to start.
If you or someone you know presents with headaches, vomiting, confusion, seizures, high temperature, a rash that does not go away when a glass is rolled on it (not always present), stiff neck, cold hands and feet, or sudden sensitivity to bright lights, do not hesitate. Call 999 or get to an emergency room immediately.
Don’t panic, but do stay vigilant and aware. Take urgent action if needs be.
It may just be the difference between life and death.
