Three young people contract meningitis in Weymouth

Three young people contract meningitis in Weymouth58 minutes agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleRos TappendenSouth of EnglandGoogleTwo of the cases were from Budmouth Academy in WeymouthThree young people have contracted meningitis in a Dorset town in recent weeks, health bosses have said.Two are pupils at Budmouth Academy, Weymouth, and the other attends Wey Valley Academy, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).It said the cases were confirmed between 20 March and 15 April and were not linked to the deadly Kent outbreak. All pupils in years 7 to 13 in Weymouth, Portland and Chickerell would be offered antibiotics and the MenB vaccination.The agency said there was no confirmed epidemiological link between the Budmouth cases and the one at Wey Valley, prompting fears the strain is transmitting more widely among young people in Weymouth.All three young people have received treatment and are recovering well, the agency said.There were about 300 to 400 cases of meningococcal disease diagnosed in England every year, it added.The three cases in Weymouth have been confirmed as Meningitis B (MenB) and are the same sub-strain type, but a different sub-strain to the one detected recently in Kent.The two pupils at Budmouth Academy are contacts of each other.Close contacts of the cases have already been offered antibiotics as a precaution.UKHSA deputy director Dr Beth Smout said: "It is possible that we will see further cases linked to these latest cases in Weymouth and we understand that there will be concern among students, staff, parents and the local community as we widen our offer of antibiotics and vaccination."I'd like to stress that this is an additional precaution, and that we're following national guidelines to reduce the risk of the infection spreading. "School pupils and staff should attend school as normal if they remain well."Dorset CouncilYear 7 to 13 pupils in the conurbation will be offered the Men B vaccineUKHSA sa...