Two people have died, including a university student, and more than 10 others have been hospitalized with meningitis after the deadly infection broke out in the southeastern English town of Canterbury.

Eleven people in the area are in hospital after contracting the condition and are seriously ill, the BBC reported. Most of them are between 18 and 21 and are students at the University of Kent, located in Canterbury.

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Spike in Meningitis-causing disease has Toronto health unit urging vaccinations

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Both people who died in the outbreak are believed to be between the ages of 18 and 21. The University of Kent confirmed in an X post that one of the two was a student there.

“We are deeply saddened to confirm that one student from the University of Kent has died following a case of invasive meningitis,” the post reads.

A senior student at Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School in Faversham, Kent, was confirmed dead from meningitis by headteacher Amelia McIlroy.

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The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said Monday it was arranging antibiotics for some students in the Canterbury area of Kent following several cases of invasive meningococcal disease, adding that the “specific strain has not been identified at the present time.”

According to the university’s website, students living in several on-campus accommodations have been contacted to pick up antibiotics, and the university is urging students who have not been contacted but believe they may have been exposed to someone with meningitis to collect antibiotics as a precaution.

More than 30,000 students, staff and their families are being contacted by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) to inform them of the situation.

The institution cancelled all in-person exams on Monday, and the students’ union called off events and shut down venues in response to the outbreak.

What is meningitis?

Meningitis is an infection of the protective membrane of the brain and spinal cord and can be serious if not treated quickly.

Early symptoms, which may not always be present, include:

• sudden onset of high fever
• a rash that does not fade when pressed against a glass
• severe and worsening headache
• stiff neck
• vomiting and diarrhea
• joint and muscle pain
• dislike of bright lights
• very cold hands and feet
• seizures
• confusion/delirium
• extreme sleepiness/difficulty waking

Students are particularly at risk of missing the early warning signs of meningitis because they can be easily mistaken for other illnesses, such as a bad cold, the flu, or even a hangover.

While rare, meningitis can be serious and may lead to septicemia (blood poisoning), which can rapidly lead to sepsis. The onset of illness is often sudden, and early diagnosis and antibiotic treatment are vital to prevent it from becoming severe.

Young people in a university are susceptible to contracting meningitis because they mix with so many other students, some of whom are unknowingly carrying the bacteria in the back of their nose and throat, the UKHSA warned.

Meningitis vaccinations in Canada are publicly funded and highly recommended for adults and children.

Mandatory immunization for school attendance exists in some provinces, including Ontario, and high-risk individuals can access additional vaccines, according to the City of Toronto‘s website.

The provincial government offers the vaccine free of charge to children and students at specific ages to protect against several strains of meningitis.

There have been several small outbreaks of meningitis in Canada in recent years.

Four people in Manitoba died from meningitis in 2025, and 24 others contracted the infection. A Nova Scotia student at Cole Harbour High School was diagnosed with the illness last year. The provincereported seven cases in 2024.

In 2024, there were 39 confirmed cases of meningitis reported in Ontario.

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