Two dead, 11 others infected in meningitis outbreak linked to English university | CNN
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Two young people have died amid an outbreak of invasive meningococcal disease in southern England, with 11 other cases also confirmed.

Two young people have died amid an outbreak of invasive meningococcal disease in southern England, with 11 other cases also confirmed.

The outbreak is linked to student populations in the city of Canterbury, Kent, according to a statement from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) sent to CNN on Monday.

One of the victims was a high school student at Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School in Faversham. “We are all absolutely devastated,” Headteacher Amelia McIlroy said in a statement sent to CNN on Monday.

    • deranger@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
      17·
      4 days ago

      There are 12 different serogroups of N. meningitidis and people are only vaccinated against the most prevalent ones. Even if you’re vaccinated you can still be infected by one of the less prevalent strains.

    • ickplant@lemmy.worldEnglish
      5·
      4 days ago

      Reading the article might help:

      Although young people in the UK are offered a meningitis vaccination that protects against certain strains of the disease, since 2015 only infants have been vaccinated against MenB, which is one of the most common causes of meningitis among teenagers and young adults, said Nutt.

      Paul Hunter, professor in medicine at the University of East Anglia, England, said that while some countries offer a MenB booster vaccine to adolescents, the results of cost-benefit studies mean that UK officials decided not to do so.

      The UK decided not to give boosters to teenagers despite knowing the risk to young adults who attend universities. This is a systemic failing on behalf of the government, not the fault of those who got infected and died.