Meningitis outbreak helps drive record surge in A&E visits

Health & Fitness
16 Apr 2026 • 5:17 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

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  • NHS England reported a record 2.43 million A&E visits in March, partly attributed to a meningitis outbreak in Kent that resulted in two student deaths.
  • Despite the surge in demand, the number of patients waiting over 12 hours in A&E decreased to 136,201 in March, down from 150,787 in February.
  • 77.1 per cent of A&E patients were seen within four hours last month, an increase from 74.1 per cent in February, moving closer to the 78 per cent target by March 2026.
  • The waiting list for routine hospital treatment in England has fallen for the fourth consecutive month, reaching 7.22 million treatments by the end of February, its lowest level since February 2023.
  • The number of patients waiting over a year for treatment also dropped to 122,668 in February, marking the lowest figure since August 2020.

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