Meningitis cases rise to 34 from 29 in British county of Kent outbreak

THE NUMBER OF cases linked to the meningitis outbreak in the English county of Kent has risen to 34, up from 29 previously, as hundreds of students queued for a third day to get vaccinated.

Some 23 cases have been confirmed alongside a further 11 cases that “remain under investigation”, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said in an update on Saturday morning.

Eighteen of the 23 confirmed cases are meningitis B. All cases have required hospital admission.

The latest figures come as more than 500 people, students and others eligible, lined up outside the University of Kent campus clinic for meningitis B jabs at the start of the weekend.

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The Canterbury site opened at 9am, with those close to the front saying they had been waiting since 7am, and one reportedly claiming to have waited since closer to 5am.

The queue, which was mostly made up of young people wearing masks and big coats, appeared to be moving much faster than in previous days and dropped to around 15 people by about 11am.

Students who arrived when the site opened were at the front of the queue within an hour and 15 minutes, compared to reported four hour waits on Friday.

The Faversham Health Centre had just a short queue of around 20 people by around midday despite having had a line outside from 8am.

Students waiting in the Canterbury site line stressed the importance of protecting themselves and others.