The key questions about the latest meningitis outbreak

The death of a college student after contracting meningitis has brought renewed attention to the infection and how it can affect young people.

Lewis Waters, who attended The Henley College in Oxfordshire, died last week as part of a small cluster of cases linked to young people in and around the area.

Health authorities say two other young people – students at separate schools in Reading – are also being treated.

It comes after an outbreak in Kent earlier this year when two people died, and in Dorset last month where three young people also contracted the disease.

BBC South has been looking at the key questions.

Lewis Waters was a sixth-form pupil at The Henley College in Oxfordshire, and died last week.

Two pupils, one from Reading Blue Coat School and another from Highdown Secondary School and Sixth Form Centre in Reading, are also being treated for meningitis.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said it had identified a social network that connected Lewis and the other two young people.

It has not given fuller details on what links them but said the risk to the wider public was low.

It said one case had been confirmed as Meningitis B (MenB) and it was awaiting further testing results.

It confirmed the case was not the same strain as MenB outbreaks earlier this year.

Close contacts linked to all three are being offered antibiotics as a precaution.

Dr Shamez Ladhani, consultant epidemiologist at the UKHSA, told the BBC the picture in Reading was an "evolving situation".

"Just like Kent was, just like Dorset... it is difficult to know where it is going to go from here," he said.

"Hopefully it will settle down. At the moment, every indication is that there is no increased risk to any of the students in Reading, but the situation is evolving and if that changes we will take action if needed."

Vaccine rollouts took place in Dorset and Kent. A second dose is expected to be offered to Weymouth students in the coming weeks.

Meningitis is an infection of the protective membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord.

It can affect anyone but is most common in babies, young children, teenagers and young adults. It can be very serious if not treated quickly.

The cause of the infection - either certain bacteria or viruses - can be determined by tests.

Bacterial meningitis (MenB) is rarer but more serious than viral meningitis. It can lead to blood poisoning or sepsis, and can affect the brain.

This acute, severe infection is known as invasive meningitis. It means the infection has invaded the blood stream or brain linings.

MenB is behind most cases of more severe meningococcal disease in the UK.

Cases happen every year - in 2024-2025, there were 378 cases of invasive meningococcal disease, according to official data.

Meningitis symptoms can develop suddenly and can include:

• A rash that doesn't fade when pressed with a glass
• Sudden onset of high fever
• Severe and worsening headache
• Stiff neck
• Vomiting and diarrhoea
• Joint and muscle pain
• Dislike of bright lights
• Very cold hands and feet
• Seizures
• Confusion/delirium
• Extreme sleepiness/difficulty waking

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 MenACWY vaccine offers protection against four types of bacteria that can cause meningitis - meningococcal groups A, C, W and Y.

The MenB vaccine helps protect against meningococcal group B bacteria and is recommended for babies aged eight weeks, followed by a second dose at 12 weeks and a booster at one year.

The vaccines do not contain any live bacteria and cannot cause meningitis.

Meningitis can sometimes occur as a complication of some other infections, meaning several other vaccinations can also help protect people.

• A six-in-one vaccine given to young children - also known as the DTaP/IPV/Hib/Hep B vaccine - offers protection against diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, hepatitis B, polio and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib).

• A pneumococcal vaccine offers babies protection against serious infections caused by pneumococcal bacteria, including meningitis.

• The MMRV vaccine - which replaced the MMR vaccine in January 2026 - offers infants protection against measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox.

The MMR vaccine is free for anyone who missed getting it when they were younger, regardless of their age.

Generally, it takes a couple of weeks to get full protection from a vaccine and some require booster doses.

The MenB vaccine was added to the UK NHS childhood immunisation programme for babies born on or after 1 July 2015.

That means teenagers and young adults over the age of 11 have not received this jab.

Young babies are vaccinated because they are more likely to get invasive infections more often than other age groups, and their bodies are less likely to be able to fight them off.

However, research suggests the MenB vaccine doesn't necessarily prevent transmission of the infection from person to person, doesn't target all the different B bacteria strains and doesn't provide very long-term protection.

UK vaccine experts have therefore concluded that it isn't cost effective to offer the MenB vaccine to adolescents, and the NHS does not currently offer a catch-up programme.

Dr Tom Nutt, chief executive of Meningitis Now, has called for a wider rollout of meningitis vaccines following Lewis's death.

The Department of Health and Social Care said the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation is reviewing eligibility for a routine vaccination.

Outbreaks of meningococcal disease are rare, but can occur in places where large numbers of people group together, such as campuses or venues.

Some people carry the bacteria in their nose or throat without getting sick, but can spread it to others through the exchange of spit or saliva in coughs, sneezes and kissing, or by sharing vapes and drinks. Close personal contact is necessary for spread to happen.

The infection can also be spread by someone with meningitis, although this is less common.

It is possible to get meningitis more than once.

The best way to stop the disease spreading is to give antibiotics to people who may have come into contact with it.

Vaccination can also provide some protection from future infection.

Anyone becoming unwell with symptoms of meningitis or sepsis should seek medical help urgently at the closest Accident and Emergency Department or by dialling 999.

Early treatment can be lifesaving.