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Students are being warned about the symptoms of meningitis after the deaths of two people in Kent.
A University of Kent student and a Year 13 pupil from Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School in Faversham died following the confirmation of 13 cases in the area of Canterbury.
A further 11 people have fallen ill with signs of meningitis and septicaemia, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said.
Here is everything you need to know about the disease, including the symptoms to spot, how it’s spread and what can be used to treat it.
Meningitis outbreak live updates
What is meningitis?
Meningitis is an infection of the protective membranes that protect the brain and spinal cord.
Dr Simon Clarke, associate professor of cellular microbiology at the University of Reading said it can be caused by a range of organisms “most commonly bacteria and viruses”.
He says bacterial meningitis, including meningococcal disease, is more serious than other forms like viral meningitis, but it is also the most uncommon.
The University of Kent said the student died following a case of invasive meningitis.
This occurs when meningococcal bacteria spread through the body infecting the bloodstream and fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord causing both meningitis and sepsis – when the body damages vital organs when fighting infection.
How is it spread?
Dr Clarke says transmission requires close, prolonged contact such as coughing, sneezing or kissing.
The outbreak in Kent is believed to be connected to a “social event” involving university students, Sky News science correspondent Thomas Moore said.
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