Meningococcal vaccine rollout begins at University of Kent after two deaths

Vaccine rollout starts at University of Kent following an outbreak that caused two deaths and 20 reported cases across two universities and five schools.

By Conor McAuley1 min read

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The University of Kent began vaccinating approximately 5,000 students in university halls on Wednesday. The outbreak is linked to a nightclub in Canterbury and has now spread to a second university.

Five new cases were reported to the UKHSA on Wednesday, bringing the total to 20. The two deaths involved a 21-year-old student and a sixth former at Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School in Faversham.

Nine cases have been confirmed in the lab, with 11 still under investigation. Six confirmed cases are of the meningitis B strain, and all reported cases have a connection to Kent.