A deadly outbreak of meningitis forces the English university of Kent to suspend in-person exams: two have died

One of the students from that university, whose identity has not been provided, has died, while the other fatality is an 18-year-old girl named Juliette, a student at a secondary school in the county of Kent (southeast of England).

The university’s student association has suspended its events in the wake of the outbreak, which the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has today identified as group B meningitisa serious bacterial infection of the membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord.

On Monday, hundreds of students lined up on the university campus to receive antibiotics as a preventive measure, amid the concern of young people and a large part of the English county community.

Health authorities are trying to establish the origin of the outbreak, but It is not ruled out that he is in a Canterbury nightclub (Kent), since public health has asked those who visited the establishment – Club Chemistry – between March 5 and 7 to come and receive antibiotics as a preventive measure.

The UKHSA reported this Tuesday that it is closely monitoring the situation and has asked the university and the population of the Canterbury area to remain attentive to the symptoms of the infection.

Symptoms of meningitis B include sudden high fever, severe headache, neck stiffness, nausea, vomitings, sensitivity to light and confusion.

There often appears a skin rash characteristic with purple or red spots that do not disappear when pressed.