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Experts answer your questions on Kent meningitis outbreak

Ella Kipling
News imagePA Three young men wearing jackets and blue medical face masks stand outsidePA
Students at the University of Kent have been seen queuing for antibiotics following the outbreak

A meningitis outbreak in Kent has been linked to a strain against which the majority of teenagers are not protected.

A university student, 21, and a school pupil, 18, are confirmed to have died in the outbreak.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has confirmed two more cases of meningitis in the Canterbury area of Kent, bringing the total to 15.

All have been hospitalised, with four confirmed as meningitis B infections.

The majority of young people born before 2015 have not been vaccinated for meningitis B unless they had it jab privately. Hundreds of people are being urged to get antibiotics to stem the spread of infection.

Health experts Dr Ellie Cannon, a GP, Dr Tom Nutt, chief executive of charity Meningitis Now, and the BBC's health editor Hugh Pym have been answering your questions on the outbreak.

Here's a selection of their responses.

How is meningitis transmitted?

The infection can be spread through "close personal contact", Hugh Pym explained.

This could happen in crowded environments or close living arrangements.

He also said the infection can be spread by people who are not presenting with symptoms.

While it is not as infectious as illnesses like flu or Covid, it can take a turn for the worse "really quickly", he added.

News imageAn infographic titled “What are the signs of meningitis?” listing symptoms that can appear suddenly and in any order. It includes illustrations for: fever shown with a thermometer; vomiting depicted by a person leaning forward; severe headache shown with red lines around the head; a rash on an arm; a stiff neck illustrated by someone touching their neck; dislike of bright lights shown with an eye shielded by a dark band; drowsiness or difficulty waking shown with a person resting a head on a hand; and seizures illustrated by a figure lying on their side. Text at the bottom notes: “You do not always get all the symptoms.” Sources: NHS, CDC

Are only children born after 2015 vaccinated for Meningitis B?

The Meningitis B vaccine was introduced for babies born on or after 1 July 2015.

That means it is "very possible" teenagers now will not have received it "because that was not on the schedule when those young adults were babies," Dr Ellie Cannon explained.

However, some young people may have opted to get the vaccine privately, she said.

Another vaccine, the MenACWY, protects against four strains of meningococcal bacteria and is offered to teenagers at school when they are around 13 or 14 years old. However, it does not protect against meningitis B.

The "concern right now" is therefore about young adults not having had the meningitis B vaccines and this is what parents should be checking, Cannon said.

News imageAn infographic titled “How to recognise the meningitis rash.” It explains that the rash may signal blood poisoning caused by meningitis. The graphic shows an arm with small red pinprick spots. Step 1 notes that the rash appears as tiny red dots that may develop into red or purple blotches. Step 2 illustrates a clear glass being pressed against the rash, with text saying the spots do not fade under pressure. Step 3 shows a dark‑toned arm with highlighted areas, advising that on darker skin the rash is best checked on paler areas such as the palms, soles of the feet, the roof of the mouth, or inside the eyelids. Step 4 shows a phone displaying “999” and instructs to call emergency services immediately if this type of rash is present. Source: NHS

How serious is meningitis?

Dr Tom Nutt said meningitis can cause "devastation when it strikes" and that around one in 10 people infected by bacterial meningitis will die.

He added that it was not unusual for people to die within 24 hours or less.

There is something "particularly nasty about this disease", which causes "untold pain" to families, Nutt said.

Why is meningitis spreading now?

Nutt said there was a "tragic randomness" and unpredictability to meningitis outbreaks.

"There's a necessary vigilance that's required all the time," he said.

As meningitis is so fast-acting, it is important that if anyone feels unwell they should tell their flatmates or neighbours, so they can keep an eye on them, Nutt said.