Meningitis outbreak spreads to second university in Kent after vaccine supplies dwindle

Meningitis outbreak spreads to second university in Kent after vaccine supplies dwindle

Following the declaration of a ‘super-spreader’ event, a second university in Kent has reported a meningitis case. Health officials are working to control the spread of the disease in Canterbury, where thousands of students at the University of Kent have received preventative antibiotics to reduce the risk of infection, which has resulted in two fatalities.

Canterbury Christ Church University (CCCU) confirmed a student has been affected by the outbreak. Rama Thirunamachandran, CCCU’s vice-chancellor and principal professor, stated:

‘The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has confirmed one case of meningococcal disease involving a CCCU student. We have contacted the individual directly. This case is connected to the initial cluster linked to Club Chemistry.’

The UKHSA chief executive, Susan Hopkins, described the situation as unprecedented. She noted:

‘This appears to be a super-spreader event, with the infection spreading rapidly within university residences. There were likely gatherings around this period, leading to significant social interaction. I can’t yet determine the origin of the initial infection or why it has caused such a rapid increase in cases. In my 35 years of medical practice, this is the highest number of cases I’ve seen in a single weekend for this type of illness.’

Public health authorities have instructed GPs across the UK to prescribe antibiotics to anyone who visited Club Chemistry in Canterbury between March 5 and 7. The club hosted a fresher’s event attended by sixth formers, which is now associated with the outbreak. Around 5,000 students in Kent’s university residences will be offered meningitis B vaccines over the next few days, as the disease is linked to multiple cases.

Pharmacies have faced challenges due to dwindling private stocks of the meningitis B vaccine. The National Pharmacy Association reported that supplies have nearly depleted, with Boots implementing a queueing system for its vaccination service and Superdrug managing a waiting list due to a ‘national shortage.’ The pharmacy bookings page is currently unavailable, displaying a message:

‘We’ll be back shortly. Demand for the Meningitis B Vaccination Service is currently high, and we’re experiencing technical issues. We’re working to resolve this as quickly as possible.’

Health officials emphasized the importance of taking prescribed antibiotics seriously. A single tablet of Ciprofloxacin can lower the risk of meningitis in a household by up to 90%. Six confirmed cases have been identified as group B meningococcal disease. One individual from Kent was traced to London, where they attended a hospital with no local contacts, though their infection is not connected to the Kent outbreak.

A baby girl has also been hospitalized with the same strain of meningitis, though her case is not linked to the current outbreak in Kent. Olivier Picard, chairman of the National Pharmacy Association, explained:

‘Unfortunately, private supply has dwindled. Most distributors and wholesalers have no stock left. Even though some may still be in the system, it’s taking time to reach our fridges. There is no set date for resupply.’