Kent Meningitis Outbreak: A Timeline Of The Health Authorities’ Response

5-7 March

All nan cases of nan meningitis outbreak person been linked to those who attended nan Club Chemistry nightclub, successful Canterbury, Kent connected 5, 6 aliases 7 March. The nine has since closed voluntarily. Anyone who attended nan nine connected these dates aliases who believes they were successful adjacent interaction pinch personification who was, has been urged to return up nan connection of antibiotics.

Friday 13 March

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) was notified astir nan first lawsuit of personification being diagnosed pinch meningitis: a student astatine nan University of Kent. Health officials began identifying and tracing nan patient’s contiguous adjacent contacts. They were each offered prophylactic antibiotics.

Saturday 14 March

The French authorities alert nan UKHSA to a 2nd confirmed lawsuit successful France from an individual who had attended nan University of Kent. Both of nan first cases lived successful backstage accommodation, but location was nary evident nexus betwixt nan two.

7pm 14 March

Hospitals reported a number of severely unwell young group each presenting pinch symptoms accordant pinch meningococcal disease. Contact tracing of these individuals began immediately. By Tuesday, 700 doses of antibiotics had been administered.

10am Sunday 15 March

The UKHSA starts a full-scale response, including preparations for much wide distribution of antibiotics connected nan assemblage field successful Canterbury. By 5pm, distribution to students began astatine 2 halls of residence.

6pm Sunday 16 March

A nationalist wellness alert was issued arsenic it was confirmed that 2 group had died successful nan outbreak. It was later confirmed that 1 was a student astatine nan University of Kent and 1 was a twelvemonth 13 pupil astatine a schoolhouse successful Faversham.

Monday 16 March

The UKHSA contacts headteachers astatine 2 schools wherever 2 cases were identified involving sixth formers, including nan schoolhouse successful Faversham wherever a pupil died. Letters to parents were issued.

9.30am Tuesday 17 March

The UKHSA confirms that testing showed nan outbreak is simply a bacterial strain B of meningitis known arsenic MenB. Four of nan first cases, including nan 2 fatalities, were identified arsenic this strain pinch different 11 cases nether investigation. The UKHSA besides confirms that each those calved earlier 2015 person had nary vaccine against MenB.

12.30pm Tuesday 17 March

The UKHSA announced a targeted vaccination programme against MenB for students surviving successful halls of residence astatine nan University of Kent successful Canterbury. It says nan programme whitethorn beryllium expanded later.