One dead and two being treated after meningitis outbreak in Reading

WorldHealth & Fitness
15 May 2026 • 3:44 AM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

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One dead and two being treated after meningitis outbreak in Reading

A student has died and two other young people are receiving treatment following a meningitis outbreak in Reading.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) confirmed one case as meningitis B, the same strain linked to earlier fatal incidents in Kent.

The deceased student attended Henley College in Oxfordshire, as confirmed by the Hart Surgery.

Close contacts of those affected are being offered antibiotics as a precautionary measure.

The UKHSA reassures the public that the overall risk remains low, stating that meningococcal disease does not spread easily and large outbreaks are rare.

IN FULL

Student dies in fresh meningitis outbreak in Oxfordshire