{"id":540835,"date":"2026-03-16T20:36:11","date_gmt":"2026-03-16T20:36:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/540835\/"},"modified":"2026-03-16T20:36:11","modified_gmt":"2026-03-16T20:36:11","slug":"2-people-dead-after-meningitis-outbreak-at-u-k-university-national","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/540835\/","title":{"rendered":"2 people dead after meningitis outbreak at U.K. university – National"},"content":{"rendered":"

Two people have died, including a university student, and more than 10 others have been hospitalized with meningitis<\/a> after the deadly infection broke out in the southeastern English town of Canterbury.<\/p>\n

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Eleven people in the area are in hospital after contracting the condition and are seriously ill, the BBC reported<\/a>. Most of them are between 18 and 21 and are students at the University of Kent, located in Canterbury.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSpike in Meningitis-causing disease has Toronto health unit urging vaccinations\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

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Both people who died in the outbreak are believed to be between the ages of 18 and 21. The University of Kent confirmed in an X post<\/a> that one of the two was a student there.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are deeply saddened to confirm that one student from the University of Kent has died following a case of invasive meningitis,\u201d the post reads.<\/p>\n

We are deeply saddened to confirm that one student from the University of Kent has died following a case of invasive meningitis.<\/p>\n

Our thoughts are with the student\u2019s family, friends and the wider university community at this extremely difficult time.<\/p>\n

The safety of our students\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/tjnYvMssXR<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 University of Kent (@UniKent) March 15, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

A senior student at Queen Elizabeth\u2019s Grammar School in Faversham, Kent, was confirmed dead from meningitis by headteacher Amelia McIlroy.<\/p>\n

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The UK Health Security Agency<\/a> (UKHSA) said Monday it was arranging antibiotics for some students in the Canterbury area of Kent following several cases of invasive meningococcal disease, adding that the \u201cspecific strain has not been identified at the present time.\u201d<\/p>\n

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According to the university\u2019s website, students living in several on-campus accommodations have been contacted to pick up antibiotics, and the university is urging students who have not been contacted but believe they may have been exposed to someone with meningitis to collect antibiotics as a precaution.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\tStudents wearing face masks walk through the University of Kent in Canterbury campus after an outbreak of meningitis caused the deaths of two people, on March 16, 2026, in Canterbury, United Kingdom.\t\t\t\t <\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\tCarl Court\/Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

More than 30,000 students, staff and their families are being contacted by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) to inform them of the situation.<\/p>\n

The institution cancelled all in-person exams on Monday, and the students\u2019 union called off events and shut down venues in response to the outbreak.<\/p>\n

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What is meningitis?<\/p>\n

Meningitis is an infection of the protective membrane of the brain and spinal cord and can be serious if not treated quickly.<\/p>\n

Early symptoms, which may not always be present, include:<\/p>\n

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\t\t\tsudden onset of high fevera rash that does not fade when pressed against a glasssevere and worsening headachestiff neckvomiting and diarrheajoint and muscle paindislike of bright lightsvery cold hands and feetseizuresconfusion\/deliriumextreme sleepiness\/difficulty waking<\/p>\n

Students are particularly at risk of missing the early warning signs of meningitis because they can be easily mistaken for other illnesses, such as a bad cold, the flu, or even a hangover.<\/p>\n

While rare, meningitis can be serious and may lead to septicemia (blood poisoning), which can rapidly lead to sepsis. The onset of illness is often sudden, and early diagnosis and antibiotic treatment are vital to prevent it from becoming severe.<\/p>\n

Young people in a university are susceptible to contracting meningitis because they mix with so many other students, some of whom are unknowingly carrying the bacteria in the back of their nose and throat, the UKHSA warned.<\/p>\n

Meningitis vaccinations<\/a> in Canada are publicly funded and highly recommended for adults and children.<\/p>\n

Mandatory immunization for school attendance exists in some provinces, including Ontario, and high-risk individuals can access additional vaccines, according to the City of Toronto<\/a>\u2018s website.<\/p>\n

The provincial government offers the vaccine free of charge to children and students at specific ages to protect against several strains of meningitis.<\/p>\n

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There have been several small outbreaks of meningitis in Canada in recent years.<\/p>\n

Four people in Manitoba died from meningitis<\/a> in 2025, and 24 others contracted the infection. A Nova Scotia student at Cole Harbour High School was diagnosed with the illness last year. The province reported seven cases<\/a> in 2024.<\/p>\n

In 2024, there were 39 confirmed cases<\/a> of meningitis reported in Ontario.<\/p>\n

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