One dead and two ill after meningitis cases

A college student has died and two people are being treated after cases of meningitis in Reading, Berkshire, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said.

It said close contacts of those affected were being offered antibiotics as a precaution.

The agency said the person who died was a student at Henley College, in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, and was sharing information about the infection with students and parents at all affected schools. It added the risk to the wider public was low.

The UKHSA said one case had been confirmed as Meningitis B (MenB) and it was awaiting further testing results. It has not said what the link to Reading was.

GP surgery the Hart Surgery, based in Henley-on-Thames, said it was in contact with the UKHSA due to the college's location, adding the agency was "actively contacting those who may be at risk due to a close association with the student involved".

But it said anyone who has not been contacted by the UKHSA did not need any treatment. Students and staff can attend the sixth form college as usual.

"The number of confirmed cases is very low so there are currently no plans for a local emergency meningitis vaccination programme," it added.

Henley College has yet to comment.

Two months ago, two people died after an outbreak of MenB in Kent, linked to a nightclub in Canterbury.

Rachel Mearkle, a consultant in health protection, said: "Students and staff will naturally be feeling worried...however meningococcal meningitis requires very close contact to spread and large outbreaks as we saw in Kent recently are thankfully rare."

She added: "Anyone can get meningitis, and around 300 to 400 cases of meningococcal disease are diagnosed in England every year.

"It's most common in babies, young children, teenagers, and young adults.

"It needs to be treated quickly so it is important to know the signs and symptoms. They can appear in any order and may not all be present, so seek rapid medical attention if there is ever any concern."

Henley College is a sixth form which offers more than 60 A-Level, T-Level and vocational diploma courses to 2,000 full-time students drawn from 100 schools in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire

Freddie van Mierlo, MP for Henley and Thame, said: "My thoughts are very much with the family and friends of the students affected.

"I would urge everyone in the area to follow the medical advice and in particular to re-familiarise themselves with the symptoms, as well as check their vaccination history."

Reading University has confirmed that there are no reported cases among its students.

Dr Paddy Woodman, director of student services said: "I was deeply saddened to hear this news and my thoughts, and those of the whole university community, are with their family and friends.

"We will be contacting students to remind them of existing information about looking out for signs of meningitis, and the importance of acting immediately on any worrying symptoms, as well as checking their vaccination status."

The UKHSA said young people should check they are up to date with vaccinations, including the MenACWY vaccine offered to pupils in Years 9 and 10.

It remains free on the NHS for people until the age of 25 but does not protect against all strains of meningitis.

The UKHSA said other strains, like MenB, can circulate among young people.