Five questions that need answering about the meningitis outbreak
BBC • • general
Key Points:
- The meningitis outbreak in Kent has affected 29 people and caused two deaths, with the first case reported on 13 March and linked to a super-spreader event at a nightclub in early March.
- Efforts to contain the outbreak have included giving antibiotics to around 10,000 potential close contacts, but more cases may still emerge due to the bacteria's incubation period of up to 10 days.
- While all confirmed cases so far are connected to Kent, there is concern about the bacteria potentially spreading elsewhere as some individuals traveled after exposure, prompting a large contact tracing operation.
- The UK government is reviewing whether to expand meningitis B vaccination to all teenagers, weighing the vaccine's proven effectiveness against cost-effectiveness considerations that previously limited its use
