Reading, UK Meningitis B Outbreak Hits Fourth Child

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) confirmed a fourth case of meningitis B in Reading, involving a pupil at Westwood Farm Junior School. The child is recovering after receiving treatment, and health officials say the infection is linked to the same wider social network as the three earlier cases, one of which was a college student who died from sepsis.

All four infections have been identified as meningitis B, but the strain differs from the one linked to recent outbreaks in Kent and Dorset. UKHSA has already provided antibiotic prophylaxis to contacts and issued guidance to parents and carers about symptoms. The agency assessed the risk to the wider public as low.

The outbreak prompted a local vaccination and antibiotic campaign earlier this year after two deaths in March. Authorities continue to monitor the situation and advise schools to remain vigilant.