🇬🇧 UK Meningitis Outbreak Dashboard

Kent MenB Outbreak · Canterbury · UKHSA Surveillance · Updated 24 March 2026

Live Monitoring

📅 Last updated: 24 Mar 2026, 09:00 GMT

🦠

Total Cases
(as of 23 Mar)

▲ Peak was 34 (20 Mar) — now 29 after reclassification

🔬

Lab-Confirmed
MenB Cases

9 cases still under investigation

💔

Deaths
(No change since 15 Mar)

No new deaths confirmed

💉

9,360+

MenB Vaccines
Administered

▲ As of 23 Mar morning

💊

12,733

Antibiotic Doses
Given (Prophylaxis)

Ciprofloxacin first-line

🏥

Active Vaccine
Clinics in Kent

UoK, K&C Hospital, Ashford, Faversham

📅 Outbreak Timeline

5–7 Mar 2026

Probable exposure event at Club Chemistry nightclub, Canterbury. Multiple attendees later fall ill.

12 Mar 2026

Outbreak declared. First cluster of IMD cases identified, linked to University of Kent.

13–15 Mar 2026

13 cases notified to UKHSA. 2 deaths: Juliette Kenny (18, QE Grammar Faversham) & UoK student (21). 11 seriously ill. Tragic

16–17 Mar 2026

Cases rise to 15. UKHSA calls it "unprecedented". Govt announces targeted vaccination for ~5,000 UoK hall residents. Pharmacy MenB supplies run low.

18 Mar 2026

Rare public health alert issued to NHS England. Cases at 20; Canterbury Christ Church University case confirmed. National Alert

19–20 Mar 2026

Eligibility widens: all who attended Club Chemistry 5–15 Mar offered prophylaxis. Cases peak at 34 (5pm 20 Mar). 4,500 vaccines given; 10,500+ antibiotics.

21–22 Mar 2026

Cases revised down to 29 after reclassification. No new deaths. 9,078+ vaccines administered; 12,595+ antibiotic doses.

23–24 Mar 2026

No new cases confirmed since Sunday. Total remains 29. Clinics remain open. UKHSA: "Outbreak not yet over." 9,360 vaccinated; 12,733 antibiotic doses. Stabilising

🦠 Serogroups, Age & Institutions

MenB — 69% (20 lab-confirmed)

Under investigation — 31% (9 cases)

Other serogroups — None identified

🧬 UKHSA identifier 1926231 · pubMLST: 190637
Strain linked to Canterbury nightclub exposure 5–7 Mar

Institution	Status
🎓 University of Kent, Canterbury	Multiple Cases
🎓 Canterbury Christ Church University	Case Confirmed
🏫 QE Grammar School, Faversham	Case + Death
🏫 Simon Langton Grammar, Canterbury	Case Confirmed
🏫 Norton Knatchbull School, Ashford	Case Confirmed
🏫 Canterbury Academy	Case Confirmed
🏫 EKC Canterbury College	Suspected Case
🏫 Highworth Grammar, Ashford	Test Negative ✓
🛒 Morrisons Sittingbourne (staff)	1 Case (visitor)
🏙️ London Hospital (Kent resident)	1 Linked Case

IMD highest in under-1s and 15–24-year-olds nationally. Kent outbreak skewed to young adults.

15–24 yrs (students)~70%

25–34 yrs~15%

<15 yrs (school pupils)~10%

35+ yrs (staff/contacts)~5%

Based on reported cases profile; exact figures pending UKHSA full report.

🩺 Symptoms, Vaccines & Treatment

⚡ Rapid progression — can deteriorate in hours. Call 999 immediately if suspected.

🔴

Non-fading Rash

Glass test: does not fade under pressure. A late sign — do not wait for it.

🤕

Severe Headache

Sudden, intense — "worst of my life"

🌡️

High Fever

Rapid rise; cold hands & feet despite fever

🔒

Stiff Neck

Cannot flex chin to chest (meningism)

👁️

Photophobia

Extreme sensitivity to bright light

🤢

Vomiting / Confusion

Nausea, drowsiness, altered consciousness

⚠️ Not all symptoms appear together. If a friend goes to bed unwell, check on them regularly — rapid deterioration is a hallmark of this outbreak strain.

MenB (Bexsero) programme progress · data as 23 Mar 2026

UoK Canterbury halls students~5,000 eligible

All prophylaxis-eligible contactsExpanded 19 Mar

School-linked cases & contacts4 schools

9,360+

Doses Given

12,733

Antibiotics Given

4 clinics open: UoK Sports Hall · K&C Hospital (Gate Clinic) · Vicarage Lane, Ashford · Faversham Health Centre. Eligible students who have returned home can request MenB vaccine and antibiotics from local GP anywhere in England.

Standard UKHSA / NICE guidance for invasive meningococcal disease (IMD)

Situation	Recommended Action
⚡ Suspected IMD (pre-hospital)	IV/IM Benzylpenicillin 1.2g (adult) → A&E immediately
💊 Prophylaxis — 1st line	Ciprofloxacin single dose (oral)
💊 Prophylaxis — alternative	Rifampicin 2 days / Ceftriaxone IM single dose
📌 Close contacts	Prophylaxis within 24h of index case diagnosis
💉 Vaccine (MenB)	Bexsero — 2 doses minimum 4 wks apart
📣 Notify cases	All suspected IMD → UKHSA health protection team
🏥 Young adult 16–30 presenting unwell	High index of suspicion; PPE before antibiotics

📊 National IMD Context & Response

England IMD surveillance · UKHSA annual data

2024/25 Cases

378

All serogroups England

2024/25 Deaths

~8% CFR (typical 8–15%)

2023/24 Cases

340

Prior year baseline

Kent Outbreak

~7.7% of annual total

England 2024/25 Serogroup Split

MenB~65%

MenW~16%

MenC~8%

MenY~7%

Other/Unknown~4%

★ 2024/25 = 378 cases · Peak 1999/00 = 2,595 · Purple = COVID low · Source: UKHSA

Kent outbreak epicentre — all cases linked to Kent so far. No spread outside region confirmed.

Location	Connection	Status
📍 Canterbury (UoK campus)	Primary cluster	Active
📍 Faversham	Death, school cases	Active
📍 Ashford	School cases	Monitored
📍 Folkestone	Baby case	Monitored
📍 Sittingbourne	Staff, nightclub link	Linked
📍 London (hospital)	Kent resident	Linked
🌍 Rest of England	Potential student return	Low Risk

⚠️ Dr Anjan Ghosh (Kent DPH) warns "small household, sporadic clusters" may appear elsewhere as students return home — but these are "containable." Eligible students who have left Kent can access vaccine and antibiotics from local GP.

🔗 Transmission & Risk

MenB is NOT highly contagious — requires close, prolonged contact.

Household contactsHigh risk

Kissing / sharing drinksHigh risk

Same halls / dormitoryModerate risk

Classroom / lecture contactLow risk

Wider publicVery low

Asymptomatic carriage: ~10% of population carry Neisseria meningitidis in the throat without symptoms. Infection requires vulnerable host + virulent strain + transmission.

💉 UK Vaccine Schedule (IMD)

Age	Vaccine	Programme
8, 16 wks	MenB (Bexsero)	Routine NHS
1 year	MenB booster	Routine NHS
1 year	MenC (within MMR)	Routine NHS
Yr 9 (≈14 yrs)	MenACWY	School
University entry	MenACWY	Fresher
Kent outbreak 2026	MenB (Bexsero)	Emergency

⚠️ MenACWY does NOT protect against MenB. Students who received MenACWY at university entry are not protected from the current outbreak strain. MenB vaccine requires 2 doses ≥4 weeks apart.

📈 Outbreak Status Tracker

⚡ Status: STABILISING — NOT YET OVER

Indicator	Status
New cases (24h)	✅ 0 new since 22 Mar
New deaths	✅ None since 15 Mar
Lab-confirmed total	20 (9 still under inv.)
Vaccination roll-out	✅ 9,360+ given
Antibiotic prophylaxis	✅ 12,733 given
Outbreak contained	⚠️ Not confirmed
Spread outside Kent	No evidence yet
Clinics open	4 active sites