The UK Health Security Agency has confirmed two young people being treated for meningitis in Reading are pupils at schools in the area. Three cases have been identified in Reading, including one student at Henley College in Oxfordshire who has died.
The other two cases are pupils at Reading Blue Coat School and Highdown Secondary School and Sixth Form Centre, the UKHSA said. It also confirmed testing on one of the cases showed it is not the same strain of meningitis B as in previous outbreaks this year in Kent and Dorset.
The agency said it had identified a social network connecting the three young people, although it has not disclosed further details about the links between them. Close contacts linked to all three cases are being offered antibiotics as a precaution.
In a statement, The Henley College said its “thoughts and sincere condolences are with the student's family and friends at this extremely difficult time”.
The college added: “We are supporting those affected within our college community and are following the advice and guidance given by the UK Health Security Agency.
“Out of respect for the family, we will not be providing further detail at this time.”
The UKHSA said one case had been confirmed as meningitis B (MenB), while further testing results are awaited.
Two months ago, two people died following a MenB outbreak linked to a nightclub in Canterbury, Kent, while three young people contracted meningitis in Dorset in April.
Dr Shamez Ladhani, consultant epidemiologist at the UKHSA, described the recent outbreaks as “really unfortunate” to have had three separate outbreaks in such a short space of time.
“This is a very rare disease but when it strikes it can be very lethal,” he told the BBC.
He said the situation 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.”
Dr Ladhani told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “We have the strain from one of the three cases [in Reading] and we know that it is completely distinct to the one that caused the outbreak in Kent and the one that caused the outbreak in Dorset.
“We have identified a social network where these three are connected and we are almost certain that this is going to be the same strain.
“The fact that they have the infection means that we have the same preventative measure and will try and identify the contacts and protect them with antibiotics and vaccines.”
The UKHSA said information about the infection had been shared with students and parents at all affected schools and added the risk to the wider public remained low.
Olivier Picard, chair of the National Pharmacy Association, said local pharmacieshad “already seen a very significant increase in demand for vaccination against MenB from worried parents”.
“Although pharmacies are now carrying more stock than when we saw the outbreak in Kent, this is having to be managed carefully and demand could well exceed what pharmacies currently [have]...,” he added.
He urged families who are concerned to “closely follow” UKHSA advice.
Symptoms can include a high temperature, severe headache, vomiting, stiff neck, sensitivity to light, confusion, drowsiness, cold hands and feet, severe muscle pain and a rash that does not fade under pressure.
