Streeting praises ‘Herculean efforts’ in meningitis outbreak

Health Secretary Wes Streeting has praised the “Herculean efforts” to protect people from the Kent meningitis outbreak and care for those affected.

The number of cases of meningitis linked to an outbreak in Kent has dropped as the campaign to vaccinate thousands of young people continues into a fourth day.

Confirmed cases have fallen from 23 to 20, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said in an update on Sunday morning, after they were downgraded following further testing.

Meanwhile, suspected cases under investigation have also fallen from 11 to nine, meaning the total number of cases is 29, down from 34 on Saturday.

Nineteen of the 20 confirmed cases are meningitis B and all cases have required hospital admission.

Mr Streeting paid condolences to the families of the two students who have died in the outbreak and said his thoughts are with those in hospital “fighting this terrible disease”.

He said in the statement on Sunday: “It has been an incredibly difficult week for those affected and for those working on the frontline response to this outbreak.

“As we look ahead to another challenging week, I wanted to pay tribute to the Herculean efforts of everyone who has worked tirelessly to care for those affected and keep people safe.”

The Health Secretary thanked UKHSA officials and NHS teams, as well as school, college and university staff, and the “thousands of students, pupils and other members of the public who have so readily and responsibly come forward for antibiotics and vaccination”.

It came after dozens of eligible people, including students, queued up again around the county for the menB vaccine or antibiotics, although numbers in the lines have dropped considerably since the rollout began on Wednesday, with no queue outside the previously busy University of Kent Canterbury campus vaccination site as of 10am on Sunday.

The UKHSA said it expects more cases to be downgraded in the coming days as further laboratory assessments are completed.

Dr Sherine Thomas, infectious diseases consultant at the UKHSA, said: “We continue to remain vigilant for new cases and work closely with NHS England and local authorities across the country to ensure that any new cases identified are responded to as quickly as possible.

“It’s reassuring to have seen so many eligible young people come forward for antibiotics and vaccination, and we’d like to thank everyone involved in this effort so far.

“Although the risk to the wider population remains low, it is still really important that people know the symptoms of invasive meningococcal disease and seek immediate medical attention if they or anyone they know develops them. UKHSA continues to work with partners to identify contacts and offer necessary treatment.”

NHS Kent and Medway said more than 8,000 meningitis B vaccines had been handed out as of Saturday evening while 12,157 antibiotics had been administered.

The two students who have died are 18-year-old Juliette Kenny, who was described by her family as “fit, healthy and strong” before her death, and a University of Kent student.