The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said on Wednesday that it has identified five new cases of meningococcal disease in Kent, bringing the total to 20.
So far, nine cases have been laboratory-confirmed, while 11 remain under investigation. Two people have died.
Most cases have been linked to the Club Chemistry nightclub in Kent, with exposure dates between 5 and 7 March 2025.
The agency also addressed a separate case involving an infant, saying: “UKHSA is aware of a baby with confirmed meningococcal group B infection who is not currently linked to the outbreak, but UKHSA will continue to investigate this case.”
Health Secretary Wes Streeting told the BBC that around 2,500 doses of antibiotics have already been distributed, while a targeted vaccination programme for 5,000 students has begun.
As part of containment efforts, he said general practitioners across the country “have been advised to prescribe antibiotics to anyone who visited Club Chemistry between 5 and 7 March and to University of Kent students, if they have been asked to seek preventative treatment.”
In a statement to the House of Commons on Tuesday, Mr Streeting added that French authorities had alerted UKHSA to a second confirmed case in France involving someone who had attended the University of Kent..
French authorities said the patient is receiving treatment and that the situation is being managed.
Meningitis is an infection of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord and can be life-threatening if not treated quickly. It most commonly affects babies, young children, teenagers and young adults.
Symptoms include fever, vomiting, severe headache, rash, a stiff neck, sensitivity to light, drowsiness, difficulty waking and seizures.
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