Arabic version: كلية كينت تبلغ عن حالة جديدة مشتبه بها من التهاب السحايا

A suspected case of meningitis has been linked to EKC Canterbury College, connected to an ongoing outbreak in Kent that has resulted in two fatalities. According to BBC News, the UK Health and Security Agency (UKHSA) has alerted students to remain vigilant for symptoms of the disease. Close contacts of the affected individual are being offered antibiotics.

The college, which was closed on Sunday, has since been deemed safe for students to attend as normal. The number of confirmed or suspected meningitis cases in Kent has increased from 29 to 34, according to the UKHSA’s latest update.

Among the two young victims of the outbreak is Juliette Kenny, a sixth-form pupil at Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School in Faversham. The second victim was an unnamed University of Kent student. Other educational institutions in the Canterbury area have also reported confirmed or suspected cases, including Norton Knatchbull School in Ashford and Simon Langton Grammar School for Boys in Canterbury.

Local businesses have noted a decrease in customer traffic as students “hide in their bedrooms” during the outbreak. In response, the UKHSA has initiated a targeted vaccination campaign against Meningitis B, with over 8,000 vaccinations administered and approximately 12,150 individuals receiving antibiotics as of Saturday.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting has indicated plans to consult the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation regarding expanding the availability of the MenB vaccine, which has only been routinely offered since 2015, leaving many in the current generation vulnerable to the disease.