Should we be worried? Health officials are racing to contain a Kent meningitis cluster following the tragic deaths of two young people. Experts are deploying emergency antibiotics and tracing close contacts to halt the spread.
Students warned over meningitis outbreak
Super-spreading: With 20 cases of meningitis under investigation, students in Kent are being urged to stay alert for symptoms of this dangerous, but preventable disease.
Glossary
Peers - People who are the same age, status, or ability as you.
Meningitis - A dangerous disease that causes inflammation of the membranes protecting the brain and spinal cord.
Bacterial - Relating to bacteria, which are tiny, single-celled organisms. Some bacteria are helpful to the body, while others cause infections or diseases that are usually treated with antibiotics.
Cluster - A small group of similar things (such as people, cases of a disease, or objects) that are positioned closely together in the same area.
Antibiotics - Medicines that fight bacterial infections.
Viral - Spreading or becoming popular very quickly through communication from one person to another, especially on the internet. Also can mean relating to or caused by a virus.
MMRV - A combination vaccine given to children to protect them against four different diseases: Measles, Mumps, Rubella, and Varicella (chickenpox).
Lockdown - Periods of time when, due to the coronavirus pandemic, people were ordered to stay indoors.
MenACWY - A vaccine specifically designed to protect against four major strains (groups) of the bacteria that cause meningitis and septicaemia (blood poisoning). It is commonly given to teenagers.