Oxfordshire college student died from meningitis confirmed

Three cases were confirmed in the Reading area on Thursday evening, one of which was from a pupil at Henley College who has died.

In a statement on Friday morning, Henley College said: “The Henley College can confirm that one of its students sadly passed away earlier this week.

“Our thoughts and sincere condolences are with the student’s family and friends at this extremely difficult time.

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“We are supporting those affected within our college community and are following the advice and guidance given by the UK Health Security Agency.

“Out of respect for the family, we will not be providing further detail at this time.”

The school has not confirmed if it is open today but an eyewitness said it was open on Friday morning with students heading in.

Students queuing for antibiotics at the University of Kent in Canterbury (Gareth Fuller/PA)

Henley MP Freddie van Mierlo said on Friday morning: “My thoughts are with the family and friends of the students affected.

“I’m also urging everyone in the area to re-familiarise themselves with the symptoms and signs of meningitis.”

Nearby Wheatley Pharmacy added: “Due to increased local interest around Meningitis B vaccination, we currently have Meningitis B vaccine in stock at Wheatley Pharmacy.”

In a statement issued on Thursday, the UKHSA said that its specialists were “working with local authority and NHS partners following three cases of meningococcal infection (meningitis) in young people in Reading”.

“Dear patients. We have been in contact with the UK Health Security Agency this morning (14th May) regarding the very sad news that a student at Henley College has died with suspected meningococcal disease,” the Hart Surgery in Henley said in a statement on Thursday evening.

“They have confirmed that they are actively contacting those who may be at risk due to a close association with the student involved.

“If you have not been contacted by the UK Health Security Agency, then currently you do not require any treatment. Staff and students have been advised they can attend the college as usual.

“The number of confirmed cases is very low so there are currently no plans for a local emergency meningitis vaccination programme.”

Henley College, in Henley, is a sixth-form college with more than 2,000 full-time students which teaches more than 60 A-level subjects and vocational diplomas, according to its website.

On Thursday, Dr Paddy Woodman, director of student services at the University of Reading, said: “While there are no reported cases among University of Reading students, I know that our students, staff and family members may be concerned.

“We will be contacting students to remind them of existing information about looking out for signs of meningitis, and the importance of acting immediately on any worrying symptoms, as well as checking their vaccination status.”

Two students died in a meningitis outbreak in the Kent area in March – 18-year-old Juliette Kenny, who was described by her family as “fit, healthy and strong” before her death, and a University of Kent student.

Dr Rachel Mearkle, consultant in health protection, said: “We understand that many people will be affected by this sad news and would like to offer our condolences to the friends and family of this student.

“Students and staff will naturally be feeling worried about the likelihood of further cases, however meningococcal meningitis requires very close contact to spread and large outbreaks as we saw in Kent recently are thankfully rare.

“We are working closely with partners and have provided public health advice and precautionary antibiotic treatment to close contacts of the cases.

“Meningococcal disease does not spread easily and the risk to the wider public remains low.”

Meningitis Now’s chief executive Dr Tom Nutt said: “Everyone at Meningitis Now is deeply saddened and concerned to hear reports of a suspected outbreak of meningitis affecting young people in Reading and the surrounding area, including the tragic death of a young person.

“We would urge people to remain vigilant and aware of the signs and symptoms of the disease. Meningitis can become life-threatening very quickly and early diagnosis and treatment are absolutely vital.”

According to Dr Nutt, symptoms can appear in “any order” and may include a high temperature, severe headache, vomiting, stiff neck, sensitivity to light, confusion, drowsiness, cold hands and feet, severe muscle pain, and a rash that does not fade under pressure.

“Teenagers and young adults are among the groups most at risk from meningococcal disease, and the recent outbreak in Kent has shown how quickly cases can emerge,” he added.