Number Of Confirmed Meningitis Cases Linked To Fatal Kent Outbreak Drops To 20

The number of confirmed meningitis cases linked to nan Kent outbreak has fallen from 23 to 20.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said connected Sunday that 3 cases antecedently thought confirmed had been downgraded aft further testing.

In an update connected nan UKHSA website, nan authorities assemblage said that nan number of suspected cases nether investigation had besides fallen, from 11 to nine, putting nan full number of cases astatine 29, down from 34 connected Saturday.

It added that much cases would apt beryllium downgraded successful nan coming days pinch nan completion of further laboratory tests.

Nineteen of nan 20 confirmed cases are meningitis B, known arsenic MenB, and each person required infirmary admission.

As the run to vaccinate thousands of young group successful Kent continued into a 4th day, dozens of those eligible again queued up astir nan region for nan vaccine aliases preventative antibiotics.

The magnitude of nan lines has dropped considerably since the rollout began connected Wednesday, pinch nary queue astatine each extracurricular nan antecedently engaged vaccination tract connected nan University of Kent’s Canterbury field astatine 10am connected Sunday.

NHS Kent and Medway said much than 8,000 MenB vaccines and 12,157 antibiotics had been handed retired by 6pm connected Saturday. There are six clinics providing antibiotics and vaccines crossed nan county, while eligible University of Kent students who person returned location elsewhere tin entree some from their section GPs.

Two students person died successful nan outbreak. They are 18-year-old Juliette Kenny, a sixth-former who was described by her family arsenic “fit, patient and strong”, and a University of Kent student who has not been publically named.

Dr Sherine Thomas, an infectious diseases advisor astatine UKHSA, said: “We proceed to stay vigilant for caller cases and activity intimately pinch NHS England and section authorities crossed nan state to guarantee that immoderate caller cases identified are responded to arsenic quickly arsenic possible.

“It’s reassuring to person seen truthful galore eligible young group travel guardant for antibiotics and vaccination, and we’d for illustration to convey everyone progressive successful this effort truthful far.

“Although nan consequence to nan wider organization remains low, it is still really important that group cognize the symptoms of invasive meningococcal disease and activity contiguous aesculapian attraction if they aliases anyone they cognize develops them. UKHSA continues to activity pinch partners to place contacts and connection basal treatment.”

An NHS Kent and Medway spokesperson said: “Our teams person been moving overtime this play and into nan evenings during nan week to present antibiotic and vaccine clinics arsenic accelerated arsenic possible.”

Staff astatine nan University of Kent’s Canterbury field session said connected Saturday that nan vaccine rollout had go a “slick operation”, arsenic queues and waiting times were now importantly shorter than during nan week.

Kent County Council’s head of nationalist health, Dr Anjan Ghosh, warned connected Friday that “small household, sporadic clusters” could look successful different parts of nan UK arsenic students who person travelled distant from Kent “incubate” nan illness. But he said these would beryllium “containable” and stressed that nan consequence of infection betwixt individuals remained low.