University students residing in Kent halls are set to be offered the meningitis B vaccine as health officials work to contain an "unprecedented" outbreak that has already claimed two lives.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting confirmed the measure, revealing that 15 cases of meningitis have now been reported to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) in Kent, an increase from the previous 13.
All those affected required hospital admission, with four cases specifically identified as meningitis B.
The two tragic deaths are included within this total.
Mr Streeting detailed the UKHSA's timeline of response to the escalating situation during a session in the House of Commons on Tuesday.
Friday March 13
UKHSA is notified of the first confirmed case of menB. Health officials begin to identify the patient’s close contacts, offering prophylactic antibiotics as a “matter of urgency”.
Saturday March 14
UKHSA contacts the University of Kent to offer support and establish where the patient was living.
French authorities alert officials to a second confirmed case of menB in a student who had attended the University of Kent.
At this stage, there is no apparent link between the two cases as both students lived in private accommodation.
7pm: Hospitals report a number of severely unwell young adults presenting with symptoms of menB.
Contact tracing of these individuals begins immediately and continues into Sunday morning. All those traced are offered precautionary antibiotics.
Sunday March 15
UKHSA launches a full response after recognising “the scale of the potential outbreak”.
The agency prepares the widespread distribution of antibiotics on campus.
5pm: Distribution of antibiotics begins to students in two halls of residence at the University of Kent.
6pm: The UKHSA issues a public health alert.
UKHSA works to identify the schools that have been affected. “That wasn’t a straightforward experience,” Mr Streeting said.
Monday March 16
UKHSA makes contact with the headteachers of the Simon Langton Grammar School and Queen Elizabeth Grammar School. Letters are sent home to parents.
Tuesday March 17
Schools are briefed by UKHSA. At this point, 700 doses of “precautionary” antibiotics have been administered to young people who may be at risk of meningitis.
The Government would “look at the handling” of the agency’s response to the menB outbreak in Kent, the Health Secretary said.
And a vaccination programme would take place to immunise students living in University of Kent halls of residence in Canterbury against the infection, Mr Streeting said.
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