The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said that as of Wednesday evening, it has identified six new cases of meningococcal disease in Kent, bringing the total of confirmed or suspected cases to at least 27.
So far, 15 cases have been laboratory-confirmed, while 12 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. More than 900 students have been vaccinated.
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.”
This evening (18th March), Canterbury Christ Church University confirmed one of their students have contracted the disease and is supporting them.
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.
Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry says 19 citizens have been repatriated following a deadly drone attack on two cargo ships in the Sea of Azov on 5 June....
A discreet visit to Kyiv by Russian billionaire and businessman Roman Abramovich has reignited debate about the role of unofficial diplomacy in effort...
At least 13 people were killed and 14 others wounded after Pakistani airstrikes targeted areas in eastern Afghanistan, according to Taliban spokespers...
U.S. forces say they have completed strikes on Iranian military sites near the Strait of Hormuz. Iran responded with missile attacks on an American b...
The FIFA World Cup 2026 is set to be one of a kind when it kicks off on 11 June, as it brings with it a slew of firsts ahead of co-hosts Mexico takin...
Thousands of revellers packed Berga's main square as fire-devil performers showered the crowd with sparks during Catalonia's UNESCO-listed La Patum festival.
China and Britain sat down for a major round of talks in Beijing on Tuesday and walked away with a clear message that the two countries want a better, closer relationship and that they are actively working to build one.
The United Kingdom has begun using SpaceX's Starshield satellite network for military operations, according to people familiar with the matter, marking one of the first known deployments of the secure government-focused system outside the U.S.
Protesters chanted “I can’t breathe” and threw bins at police in Southampton on Tuesday (2 June) after footage emerged showing murdered teenager Henry Nowak being arrested as he lay dying from a stab wound.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's Civil Contract party has won the Armenian elections, picking up nearly half the vote. With a majority in parliament, Pashinyan is set for a third term as Prime Minister. But an opposition politican has said he will challenge the election results.
Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry says 19 citizens have been repatriated following a deadly drone attack on two cargo ships in the Sea of Azov on 5 June.
A Sudanese man has been arrested over a knife attack in Belfast that left a man seriously injured and prompted calls online for a protest after footage of the incident circulated widely on social media.
Barcelona is preparing to mark a historic milestone in the legacy of architect Antoni Gaudí as Pope Leo XIV visits the city this week to inaugurate the Tower of Jesus Christ at the Sagrada Família basilica, almost exactly 100 years after the visionary architect’s death.
Iran and Israel have halted strikes on each other, but Tehran has warned it will recommence attacks if Israel continues military action in Lebanon. U.S. President Donald Trump and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun have meanwhile made pleas for peace.
A U.S. doctor who contracted Ebola while on a humanitarian mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo has recovered and been discharged from a hospital in Germany, according to officials.
Protesters in Nanyuki blocked roads and burned tyres after residents challenged a U.S. plan to house Americans exposed to Ebola at a nearby military base.
Global health organisation CEPI will provide around $60 million to Moderna and two other partners to speed up the development of vaccines targeting the Ebola Bundibugyo strain, which is currently driving an outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo may be significantly larger than official figures suggest, following a visit to the country where he briefed President Felix Tshisekedi on the ongoing response.
Four nurses have recovered and been discharged after receiving treatment for Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment