Meningitis: the number of cases climbs in England, hit by an “unprecedented” epidemic, one person hospitalized in France

The south-east of England is on alert. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Wednesday that an “unprecedented” meningitis outbreak was spreading, calling on people who attended a Canterbury nightclub to come forward to receive antibiotics.

The disease has already caused two deaths. They are an 18-year-old final year student, named Juliette, and a 21-year-old student at the University of Kent. The British head of government offered his condolences to their loved ones. “Others are seriously ill,” he stressed.

According to the new report released by the UKHSA health agency, nine cases are confirmed by laboratory analyzes and eleven reports are still under investigation, bringing the total to 20, compared to 15 on Monday. Six of them, including the fatal cases, are meningococcal infections “belonging to group B”, rare but very serious.

One of the people concerned went to a London hospital, but did not “have contact with the local population in London”, assured the UKHSA. The French Ministry of Health confirmed that one person was hospitalized in stable condition in France. This is a person who attended the University of Kent.

“The situation is evolving rapidly”

According to the Minister of Health, Wes Streeting, the majority of cases are linked to evenings at the Club Chemistry nightclub on March 5, 6 or 7. Around 2,000 people attended. “What worries us in the Canterbury outbreak is the speed and extent of the spread of the disease,” Wes Streeting also stressed on the BBC.

“The situation is evolving rapidly and other cases could be identified,” warned the UKHSA in a press release, specifying that, so far, all those affected were “young adults”.

Rarer than viral meningitis, bacterial meningitis kills devastatingly when it is not treated and, even if it is treated, causes high mortality and a high risk of after-effects. Antibiotics are the “most effective treatment to limit the spread” of the epidemic, stressed the UKHSA.

More than 2,500 doses have been administered in Kent, to students, contact cases and people who attended the Chemistry Club, the agency said. “Given the severity of the epidemic,” a targeted vaccination program will be put in place, starting with students housed in halls of residence at the University of Kent’s Canterbury campus, the health agency said. “Initially,” up to 5,000 students will be contacted and offered a vaccine.

The British worried

The epidemic is causing concern among British people, many of whom want to be vaccinated. The Boots pharmacy chain has set up a queue system on its website to access vaccination in the face of “very high demand”.

But Olivier Picard, president of the National Association of Pharmacists, warned that there was currently no stock of meningitis B vaccines available for purchase by the general public. “We are entirely dependent on manufacturers and wholesalers to supply our pharmacies, and our patients are worried. They want their children to be vaccinated,” he continued.

The Health Minister said there were at least 350 cases of meningitis in the UK each year. But “this is by far the most rapidly spreading meningitis epidemic in my entire career,” said England’s deputy chief medical officer, Dr Thomas Waite.

Laboratory researchers are working to determine whether this spread is due to a possible mutant strain of meningococcus B, according to the British agency PA.