Two dead and cases rising as ‘super-spreader’ meningitis outbreak grips Kent
The number of meningitis cases under investigation has increased to 20 following the Kent ‘super-spreader’ outbreak.
Health officials are working to control the meningitis outbreak in Canterbury, Kent, with thousands receiving preventative antibiotics to protect against the deadly infection that has resulted in two deaths.
Already, private supplies of meningitis B vaccines have been depleted, according to the National Pharmacy Association.
Meanwhile, Boots has implemented a queueing system on its vaccination service page and is informing people that demand for the MenB jab is high. Superdrug has a waiting list for the vaccine due to a ‘national shortage.’
The pharmacy’s bookings page for the vaccine is currently down, with a message stating: ‘We’ll be back shortly. Demand for the Meningitis B Vaccination Service is currently high and we’re experiencing some technical difficulties. We’re making every effort to resolve this as soon as possible.’
The outbreak has been declared a national incident, and the number of cases is expected to rise as symptoms can take between two and 14 days to manifest.
Experts consider the outbreak unprecedented due to the high number of cases emerging in such a short period.
UKHSA chief executive Susan Hopkins said: ‘This appears to be a super-spreader event, with continued spread within the halls of residence at the universities.
‘There were likely parties involved, leading to a lot of social mixing.
‘I cannot yet identify the source of the initial infection, how it spread in this group, and why it has resulted in such a large number of infections.
‘In my 35 years working in medicine, in healthcare and hospitals, this is the highest number of cases I’ve seen in a single weekend involving this type of infection.
‘The explosive nature is unprecedented here – the number of cases in such a short period.
‘Initially, the NHS managed it as a major incident in the region, but they have now escalated it to include national-level oversight as well.’
GPs across the UK have been advised to prescribe antibiotics to anyone who visited Club Chemistry, Canterbury, between March 5-7, according to the UKHSA. The cases are connected to the nightclub, which hosted a fresher’s event attended by sixth formers.
Approximately 5,000 students in the Kent university halls will be offered the meningitis B vaccine in the coming days.
Schools in Kent are also offering the jab after four confirmed cases were linked to them.
Pharmacies have stated they are in an ‘impossible situation’ as their private stocks for people who wish to pay for the Men B vaccine themselves have run out.
Health officials have advised people not to skip antibiotics if prescribed, as a single tablet of Ciprofloxacin can reduce the meningitis risk in a household by up to 90%.
Six of the confirmed cases have been identified as group B meningococcal disease, according to the UKHSA.
One of the individuals who lived in Kent was traced to London, where they visited a hospital, with ‘no community contacts in London,’ the infection watchdog reported.
A baby girl is also in the hospital and undergoing surgery after contracting the same strain of meningitis, though her infection is not currently linked to the Kent outbreak.
Olivier Picard, chairman of the National Pharmacy Association, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme today that pharmacies’ private supply has diminished.
He said: ‘Unfortunately, that supply has run out, and most of our distributors, wholesalers have no stock.
‘And while we are hearing that there may be some stock in the system, it is taking time to get it into our fridges. There is no date of resupply.
‘Overnight, between approximately the hours of 11 pm and 6 am this morning, I have received over 100 appointments through our booking system in my pharmacies for vaccine we simply do not have and have no idea when it will be available.’
Deputy Editor
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