An outbreak of meningitis B is currently dominating the news in the United Kingdom, described as “ unprecedented ” by the chief executive of the UK Health Security Agency. The infectious disease has led to the deaths of two young people in Kent, with officials reporting a total of 20 cases at the time of writing.
Cases have appeared at 15 schools across the county as well as at the University of Kent in Canterbury. While meningitis B is not new to the U.K.
— there were 313 cases in 2024/2025 — what has surprised experts is how quickly the cases have appeared. Medical News Today spoke with Opel Baker , MBChB, DipOccMed, MRCGP, a general practitioner from the Mayfield Clinic in Brighton, U.K., for more insight into the disease.
“ Meningitis B is a serious bacterial infection caused by Neisseria meningitidis group B,” said Baker.
Medical News Today published a clinical update in Research Highlights on 18 Mar 2026.
The item focuses on Meningitis B: How does it spread and when should you see a doctor?.
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