Meningitis vaccines offered to some Kent Year 11 pupils

Meningitis B vaccinations will be extended to Year 11 pupils at schools in Kent where older students have already received them, health chiefs have said.

Vaccinations in the county will be given to 15 and 16-year-olds at four schools as a precautionary measure to "ensure longer-term protection", the UK Health and Security Agency (UKHSA) said.

No new meningitis cases have been reported for the third day in a row following the outbreak in Kent earlier this month in which two people died.

The UKHSA says the number of confirmed cases remains at 20, while three cases are currently under investigation.

The total of 23 confirmed or suspected cases is down from 29 reported on Sunday.

Four people remain in intensive care.

The UKHSA confirmed on Monday that it had also vaccinated more than 10,600 people so far.

Over 13,300 doses of antibiotics have also been administered, it added.

Meningitis vaccines for the Year 11 pupils will be delivered in the affected schools.

Pupils are being asked to wait for further details rather than head to vaccination clinics.

A report released by the UKHSA on Tuesday said the earliest known meningitis case linked to the outbreak was on 9 March, and the latest on 16 March.

The peak of the outbreak was on 13 March, and four people who contracted meningitis B remained in intensive care as of Monday, according to the report.

All of the cases in the outbreak were young people with an average age of 19, the UKHSA report added.

Of the 23 confirmed and probable cases, 20 are known to have attended Club Chemistry in Canterbury between 5 and 7 March.

All of the cases involving people who did not attend the club are University of Kent students living in halls of residence accommodation.

On Tuesday, students queuing for vaccines said the Canterbury campus remained "like a ghost town" over fears linked to the outbreak.

Chloe Bower, a university student, said: "My mum had meningitis when she was younger so for us it's important for me to get the vaccine."

Ella King says: "We have only been back a day, but we haven't been into town and are reluctant to go into coffee shops."

Tushar Jhanwar, who works at the university, said: "It's important for me to get the vaccine just to be safe.

"People have been scared, but there has been great support."

The two people who died following the outbreak are an 18-year-old sixth former from Faversham and an unnamed 21-year-old University of Kent student.

Acting Vice-Chancellor of Kent University, Prof Georgina Randsley de Moura, told the BBC her thoughts remain with those affected.

"We've got people who are grieving, people who are still unwell."

She added she was "extremely pleased with the response".

"Everyone's worked extremely hard to get [things] up and running very quickly."

Randsley de Moura urged people to remain vigilant and continue looking out for each other.

Prof Robin May, chief scientific officer at the UKHSA, says its analysis offers "strong reassurance that our existing vaccinations and antibiotic treatment offer will be effective against this strain".

Trish Mannes, regional deputy director for the South East, said on Monday that the outbreak had passed its peak.

The UKHSA report said a number of factors could be contributing to the outbreak, including differences in the strain, levels of immunity and social and environmental factors.

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