Meningitis outbreak spreads to second university in Kent after vaccine supplies dwindle
Meningitis outbreak spreads to second university in Kent after vaccine supplies dwindle
Following the declaration of a national incident, a meningitis case has emerged at Canterbury Christ Church University (CCCU) in Kent, marking the second institution affected by the outbreak. Health officials are working to control the spread, having already administered preventative antibiotics to thousands at the University of Kent, where two fatalities have been reported.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) confirmed the new case at CCCU, which is linked to the initial cluster traced to Club Chemistry. The university’s vice-chancellor, Rama Thirunamachandran, stated:
‘The UK Health Security Agency has now confirmed one case of meningococcal disease involving a CCCU student. We have reached out to support the individual directly. This case is connected to the initial cluster associated with Club Chemistry.’
Pharmacies across the UK are facing challenges as private stocks of meningitis B vaccines have been depleted. Boots has implemented a queueing system for its vaccination service, while Superdrug reports a waiting list due to a ‘national shortage.’ The vaccine booking page for pharmacies is currently offline, displaying a message:
‘We’ll be back shortly. Demand for the Meningitis B Vaccination Service is currently high and we’re having a few technical difficulties. We’re trying to get through as soon as we can.’
Meanwhile, the University of Kent announced that all students residing on its Canterbury campus will receive menB vaccines starting today. The outbreak has escalated to a national level, with officials anticipating a rise in cases as symptoms may take two to 14 days to manifest.
Experts describe the situation as unprecedented, citing the rapid spread of infections within a short timeframe. UKHSA chief executive Susan Hopkins remarked:
‘This looks like a super-spreader event, with ongoing spread within university halls. There will have been some parties, particularly around this period, so there will have been lots of social mixing. I can’t yet say where the initial infection came from, how it’s got into this cohort, or why it’s created such an explosive amount of infections. I can say that in my 35 years working in medicine, this is the most cases I’ve seen in a single weekend with this type of infection.’
GPs have been instructed to prescribe antibiotics to anyone who attended Club Chemistry between March 5-7, as the cases are traced back to the nightclub’s fresher’s event. Over 5,000 students in Kent’s university accommodations will be offered the vaccine in the coming days. Schools in the region have also joined the initiative after four cases were linked to them.
One individual from Kent was identified in London, where they visited a hospital with no community contacts in the city. A baby girl is currently hospitalized and undergoing surgery after contracting the same meningitis strain, though her infection is not yet connected to the Kent outbreak.
Olivier Picard, chairman of the National Pharmacy Association, noted:
‘Unfortunately, that supply has run out, and most of our distributors, wholesalers, have no stock. And whilst we’re hearing that there may be some stock in the system, it is taking its time to come into our fridges. There’s no date of resupply.’